Imphal, February 22 2009: More than 60% of the only floating Keibul Lamjao National Park in the globe and home to the rare Sangai has been destroyed by wild fire spread out in the park this morning.

Many Sangai feared killed in the fire burnt incident.The fire burnt incident in the park is first ever incident of its kind since the declaration of the floating ground, the dwelling place of the Sangai in the Loktak Lake as national park in 1977. The incident of burning the park came to light to the people of the nearby the park this morning at around 9 am, said the villagers who expressed suspicion of catching the fire by some individuals simultaneously from at least three to four points in the park. Till this evening the portion of the park like Toya Ching, Kachin Achouba, Chingmei Natal, Khordak Maning, Khordak Echil,Nongmaikhong, Ngakha pat, Keibul Lamjao Hoarong have been destroyed by the wildfire which have been expanding in an uncontrollable ways. The fire expanded in a speedy way as the fire line make by cutting pumdis (floating bio-mass) to check spreading of wildfire to the park from time to time have not be properly clear which is could an instant of authorities neglecting the park. The drying of phumdis due to no rain for the last around three months help in the burning of the parks, the villagers further observed.

The villagers also expressed fear of total devastation of the park if control measures are immediately launched. Staffs of the state forest department protecting the park rushed to the spot at around 11 am.

The team was led by one forest beat officer in-charge, Salam Sonamani and other six staff. The staff who returned at around 3 pm today from the spot said that they are helpless as the fire burnt beyond control.

They have no equipments to control the fire. Even though the area cover by the national park is 40.50 square kilometer but Sangai are dwelling in only 15 square kilometer of the area known as core area.

The area includes the area extending from Taya Ching to Thangyangbi.

As the area has been included in the fire burn incident, there is apprehension of dying Sangai, observed the locals who know well on the dwelling place of the deer observed. The place was declared as National Park in 1977 after it was recognized as wildlife sanctuary in 1975 as home of Sangai which is available nowhere in other part of the world.

As per the count in 2000, around 200 deer of this kind are still in the park.

But the latest report which the counting was conducted in 2007 is yet to officially announce. Even though, it could not be known who had caught the fire, the villagers said that some personnel of the Assam Rifles were seen in the area this early morning.

Any comment from the Assam Rifles could available. Hands of the security forces behind the burning of the national park was very suspicious one as there were reports in the government that undergrounds cadres are taking shelter in the park.

But this could not be immediately confirmed. Villagers also expressed their wants to conduct a high level inquiry into the fire burnt as the park has been banned from entry of people.

Comment