Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 22 2010:
Fishermen of Loktak Lake today submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Manipur, O Ibobi Singh seeking to leave behind fishermen living in the floating hut while taking up phumdis clearance work in the lake.
Manipur government with the aim of saving the Loktak Lake, the only fresh water lake in the north east India, taken up the project of clearance of Phumdis floating on the Lake with work awarded to K Pro Infra Works Private Ltd, New Delhi as a joint venture with Progressive Construction Ltd (PCL).
The work taken up by the government to save the Lake is welcome but hurting the people living in the floating huts with fishing as main occupation will amount to snatch the livelihood of the thousands of people, members of the All Loktak Lake Floating and Dwellers Progressive Committee lamented.
Over 10, 000 people with their houses in the floating phumdis are estimated dwelling in the lake with fishing as their main earning, fishermen coming up to plea the Chief Minister to address their grievances lamented.
Around 200 fishermen under the banner All Loktak Lake Floating and Dwellers Progressive Committee came up to Imphal in six buses and other small vehicles and submitted the memorandum to the Chief Minister.
They could not meet with the Chief Minister who is on heavy engagement but submitted the memorandum at the CM Bungalow.
Fishermen know the deteriorating condition of the Lake and the need of clearing the piling up phumdis but it will not be a right step to clear the 'Athaphums' before taking up measure to give alternative way for the livelihood of the thousands of the fishermen who had been earning livelihood since submergence of their paddy field with the coming of Loktak Hydro-electric Project, said President of the All Loktak Lake Floating and Dwellers Progressive Association, Ningthoujam Lakhon.