'State to face numerous malaria cases, agri production to decrease by 2030'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 16 2011:
With the ever increasing warming and detreriorating climatic condition, Manipur will witness 40 percent decrease in agricultural production and increase in malaria cases by 2030, forwarns T Brajakumar, Research Officer, State Environment & Ecology Wing today in an awareness programme on Health and Environemtn held at Sriban High School premises at Luwangsangbam, Imphal.
The Eco Line Foundation organised the programme to create awareness of the relation between health of human beings and the environment.
Speaking as resource person, Brajakumar said that the state is facing an increasing threat of warming due to mass deforestation, urbanization and other factors.
Rainfall patterns have varied each year due to the changing climatic condition.
Global warming has become a serious threat to mankind since many glaciers and icebergs have been melting continuously which will one day engulf the whole land areas of the world.
The Maldives will be submerged within in 10 years while Dhaka is also under threat from the rising sea level.
India is also under threat of inundation in many areas since various rivers originating from the Himalayas may be flooded by glaciers which are melting at an alarming rate, he said.
Manipur is among the top areas in the world in quantity of increased warming.
It is being calculated that Manipur will face a four-fold warming as compared to other states of the country.
Summer season in the state has been lengthened upto nine months which will increase the population of mosquitoes and malaria cases will become a serious threat to the people of the state by 2030, he said.
The state government is taking up plans to restore the deteriorating climate change and has targeted to start the plan from June 18 onwards.
The government is tagging in 29 different departments to combat the climate change and to restore the state to be self sustainable.
Senior Lecturer, Botany, Thoubal College Dr A Manoranjan urged the people of the state to take collective responsibility to control the changing climatic condition for a better future.
More than 1,000 medicinal plants have been lost in the state due to mass deforestation, he said.
Retired principal, DM College of Science, Professor G Tomba and retired Head Master M Ibomcha were among others who spoke as resource persons during the awareness programme.