Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 22 2010:
Eminent environmentalists, academicians, social leaders who participated in the ' Discourse on boundary fencing across the Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wild Life Sanctuary' on Thursday unanimously opposed the proposed Indo-Myanmar border fencing, saying it will seriously affect and impact the bio-diversity conservation in Manipur.
This unanimous recommendation was taken during the discourse session held at Senate Hall, Manipur University (MU) today organized by Bio-diversity, Ecology and Environment Network Manipur (BEE Net Manipur) under theme of 'Towards greener Manipur' which was held in connection with the "World Earth Day".
Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wild Life Sanctuary lies across the Indo-Myanmar border fencing pillar no.76 to 84, according to Prof.Dr.RK.
Ranjan, an environmentalist, former registrar and director of Academic staff college, MU.
The unanimous recommendation of the experts, activists and social leaders include that the said wild life sanctuary is 'an animal corridor and should not be effected at any cost by any act of border fencing'.
Method of border fencing should be well planned without covering the whole border-line across the sanctuary, the environmental impact assessment report of the border fencing needs to be addressed to avoid any possible impact/catastrophe and construction of border fencing should be made transparent to the public, it recommended.
The recommendation also cited that the adjoining villages, the affecting villagers and the conservationist should be consulted, the government should declare the sanctuary as another bio-diversity reserve, physical survey for the construction of border fencing need to be done by a team of experts, environmentalist and conservation bodies and the government should manage to protect the area of the sanctuary among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr RK Ranjan contended that if border fencing is merely to contain arm smuggling and insurgency forgetting about others important aspects than it may be a waste policy, the government should instead bring in tourists at the sanctuary spot which may reduce crime rates and increasing more on the developmental front.
Echoing similar opinion, Dr.Brojendro, Chemistry department, Oriental College observed that ' it will be a wrong step to do for political gain, it's the time to take opinions, views, analysis and advice from the experts, intellectual when such border fencing is to be taken up'.