Manipur Polls: Why Loktak Lake is in Every Pol Parties Manifesto?

The Loktak Lake in Manipur and its surrounding wetland is home to over three lakh people who depend on the ecosystem for their livelihood.

The Loktak Lake is in the manifesto of every political party in the poll-bound state of Manipur for ecotourism, environment protection and fisheries development. The Centre is also looking to the Loktak Lake for its inland waterways project.

Traditional fisherman in the area use small wooden canoes to fish in the lake, and depend on the floating grass biomass- Phumdis, to tether their canoes and fishing nets. The Lake is also home to the world’s only floating wildlife sanctuary-home to the rare Sangai deer.

The political parties mentioned about the development of the Lake but locals fear about the impact of these development projects as they depend on the lake for their income.

The Loktak Development Authority (LDA) is also considered a threat to the villages as they have undertaken the work of removing the Phumdi growth, to clean the lake, which also means that the temporary huts set up by the fishermen on the floating biomass are also torn down.

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Y Rupachandra, convenor of the Thinungai Fishermen Union, said the ecotourism development plans could deprive the traditional fishing villages of their livelihood.

“They want to remove the phumdis and introduce resorts and a golf course. Fishing will be devastated. Maybe some people could get jobs there, but what about the rest,” asked Rupachandra. The unions also said the LDA had ignored the concerns of the fishing villages.

Activist Rama Wangheirakpam says it was a long fight to get voter cards and a polling booth for the “floating villages” inside Loktak. “There is now a polling booth in the village. But the LDA says the villagers are encroachers on the lake and is trying to evict them. Their tourism plans will affect the fishermen, the lake ecology and even the migratory birds that come to the lake,” says Rama.

As quoted by India Today TV, Moirang BJP candidate Prithviraj admitted that the government has earmarked land for resorts and a golf course, to draw “luxury tourism” and improve the economy of the state. However, he added that the plans are at a proposal stage.

Every political party has mentioned Loktak Development as part of its plans.

The BJP has promised “to formulate a comprehensive action plan to safeguard the endangered species and flora and fauna of the state.” It has pledged to “preserve, develop and maintain the Loktak Lake to ensure it becomes an iconic wetland site of South East Asia.” It has also promised to restructure the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) for the management of the lake and its associated wetlands. The Manifesto pledges “to conserve and promote the heritage of the Champu Khangpok floating village.”

While the Congress, which had brought in the Loktak Development Act during its tenure in power, also promised “to create State Forest Development Corporation and Loktak Lake Research & Training Centre”.

On the other hand, the National People’s Party (NPP) has promised “to review the Loktak Protection Act of 2006 and amend the legislation to make it more scientific and people-centric and align it with Ramsar convention (for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands) and the National Wetlands Rules, 2017.” It has also promised to restructure the LDA, “based on environmental and scientific concerns, and community needs.”

Oinam Rajen, convenor of the All Loktak Fishermen Union, who is a resident of the floating village, however, told India Today that “political parties are not doing anything for the fishermen,” and the unions are set to fight the government in court on the lake development projects.

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