Manipur : Where everything goes wrong
- Sangai Express Editorial :: January 17, 2014 -

Manipur is given so many beautiful sobriquets, titles and epithets like Sana Leibak, Land of Jewel etc, to mention a few but the reality of the land paints a very disappointing picture.

Dr Kamal's sonnet Thapna Uriba Ching ashi onthokna phajeida..adubu manakta changlabadi narakni tingkhang-tumbouna thallaba (rough translation: the hill seen afar is so majestic...but a closer look would reveal thickets of thorns and prickles).

Manipur today presents a perfect simile of Dr Kamal's sonnet. Like Dr Kamal's majestic hill seen afar, Manipur when seen from some distance away has its own enchanting charm but it is full of dirt, waste materials and rubbish if one takes a closer look.

Leaving aside other works implemented away from the capital city, the Zero Garbage Campaign launched with much fanfare and publicity has been reduced to a big zero and Imphal city is now abound with mounds and mounds of garbage and waste materials.

Compared to Tamu city of neighbouring Myanmar which is listed as one of the most underdeveloped country, we can only hang our head in shame.

No waste materials or a piece of polythene bag can been seen on the roads of Tamu. Although 90 per cent of Manipur's geographical area is covered by hills, most of the hill ranges are bare.

Every year Van Mahotsav is observed and tens of thousands of tree saplings are planted both in the hills and valley but the hill ranges are only becoming more and more bare.

If one observes the existing condition of Sirui hills, one would never believe that Sirui Lily once grew as high as 4/5 feet and bloomed to its fully glory.

But today Sirui Lily is only about a foot high and even their survival is under threat with a small bamboo species invading their habitat.

Once the whole hill range was covered with blooming Sirui lilies but today one can see only one or two Sirui lily growing here and there even if it is the blooming season.

Sangais may be playing in Keibul Lamjao but their fate is also precarious.

Although Sangai population has seen some growth in recent years, thanks to serious efforts put in by different quarters including the Government, condition of their only natural habitat Keibul Lamjao is degenerating every year.

Given these facts, it is discernable that the State authority is looking for a third home for Sangai.

These are not healthy signs in any case. All spheres of the geo-political entity called Manipur seem to be malfunctioning.

Tens of thousands of tree saplings are planted at the expense several crores of rupees every year, obviously with the objecting of saving the degrading environment but nobody cares whether the saplings survive and grow.

It appears only publicity matters to the tree planters. Enough publicity was made to make Imphal a clean city.

Pick-up vans fitted with bells were introduced for collecting waste materials from within Imphal Municipal area apart from engaging an army of sweepers, not to mention about the costly machinery purchased for sweeping and mopping roads.

Against all these bold initiatives and declarations, Imphal is becoming dirtier and dirtier. It has been quite sometime some concerned citizens have been shouting that Sirui Lily is on the brink of extinction.

The State authority may not be sitting idle totally. But one thing is clear, it has no intention to fructify whatever efforts made so far.

Whereas serious efforts are put in to save Sangai, the authority seemed to be overlooking Keibul Lamjao. Yes, the primary responsibility lies with the Government.

But no Government efforts would bear fruit if the public do not lend enthusiastic cooperation.

All sections of the society need to understand that the responsibility for protection and preservation of Manipur and its assets should be shared equally. Planting saplings only to let loose a herd of cows is utter nonsense.

Indiscriminate felling of trees on the ground that thousands of saplings are being planted every year should not be absolved.

Zero Garbage Campaign or any other campaign would remain diseased if garbage and waste materials are simply disposed on road sides and rivers. Same applies to Sirui Lily conservation efforts.

One cannot simply go on encroaching upon the natural habitat of the rare lily species if it must be preserved.

So is the case with Sangai. One cannot save Sangai without preserving Keibul Lamjao.

It is crucial for the Government and public to join hands if Manipur must march ahead and all those prized assets which symbolise it must be preserved.