Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 21 2009:
Police have foiled the attempt of a number of peeved fishermen who tried to carry out a protest rally today and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding payment of compensation for the confiscation of floating reeds in the Loktak Lake.
However, selected fishermen have submitted the memorandum to the Chief Minister In-charge, Debendro later.
Grumbling against the government for non-payment of compensation for the deletion of floating reeds (Atha Phum) in Loktak Lake, annoyed fishermen, under the aegis of the Khordak Meira Paibee Apunba Lup and Young Athletic Sporting Organisation, Khordak, have today came in two fully loaded buses to hold a procession and submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding payment of fitting compensation to the fishermen.
Being prevented by the policemen from taking out a rally, the fishermen had then selected four members and submitted their representation to the Chief Minister In-charge, Debendro.
The fishermen were reported to have been assured by the Government authorities that the compensation would be paid within ten days.
According to the fishermen, the reeds of the fishermen were destroyed by the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) while assuring them payment of Rs 13,000 for each reed.
They said that the cutting down of the reeds has badly affected the fishermen of Khordak area whose main source of income is fishing.
They demanded immediate payment of compensation so that they may be able to start a new way of generating income for their livelihood.