Nature and Biodiversity : Challenges ahead

Kelvin Kasar *

Indigenous fish of Manipur - Pengba

We are certain that life begins in water. It is known that some simple organisms can exist without air but no living organism can exist without water. We begin life floating in a liquid in our mother's womb. Our body is 72% water by weight. Though our world is a watery world, only 2.5% of the total water found on Earth is available as fresh water. Again, of all the fresh water, about 70% is frozen in the Polar Regions as ice and the remaining as underground water.

Only 1% is available as fresh water for direct human use found in rivers, lakes, springs and other smaller water bodies. Rivers played a great importance in the development of human civilisation. In fact, the once nomadic ancient life of human beings was transformed into a settled life only after agriculture appeared on the bank of the Rivers of Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia 10,000 years ago.

Centuries later it spread to other areas such as the banks of the River Nile, River Indus and River Hwang Ho. In course of time, big cities developed along these river banks along with Trade, Art and Commerce. All these areas grew into great civilisations of the past such as the Mesopotamia civilisation, Egyptian Civilisation, Indus and Chinese Civilisation.

The role of rivers in the development of ancient civilisation is that it provides a steady source of water for irrigation and a valley of fertile soil for agriculture enabling to sustain a large population. History shows us that these cities and town along the rivers were the envy of the people who had not enjoyed the fruit of agriculture (settled life). The Israelites were one such group of people whose long cherished goal was the land of Milk and Honey (a fertile land). Countless wars and battles were fought for the control of such areas.

Our land is blessed with so many small water bodies and rivers flowing through it. There is a great opportunity for many water related activities like hydroelectricity, irrigation (agriculture), industries, eco-tourism, fishery etc.

Potable water should not be a problem here in Manipur. considering the small population compared to the amount of fresh water available and the amount of annual rainfall. However potable water is a great problem both in the valley and in many villages in the hills of Manipur. Our agriculture activities still depend on nature and her mercy.

Hydroelectricity supply is one of the worse services in the whole of the North East India. The potential of fishery and aquaculture in smaller water bodies is nil or partially tapped. Eco-tourism has not seen the light of the day. People in other part of the world are investing Millions in construction of artificial water bodies such as lakes and ponds so as to attract tourists.

Here in Manipur, we are wasting priceless nature's gifts of beautiful waterfalls, lakes and water bodies. People go to Switzerland or Nepal not to see mountain heaped/laden with gold. They go there to see snow capped mountains as ordinary as any mountain. Whenever any outsiders come to Manipur, they can gauge easily at once the mentality of the people of Manipur. To them, we are fools going to bed with hunger though we sleep on bed of opportunities as far as tourism is concerned.

Manipur is a biodiversity hotspot. There is a high concentration of different plants and animal species in a unit area of our land, forest and water bodies. Our rivers are home to a great number of plants and animals species. However over the decades, there has been a steady decrease of biodiversity both on land and in water. The article is written keeping in mind the biodiversity loss in a segment of the River Thoubal from Yaolen to Sangkai in Ukhrul District of Manipur.

The said stretch of the River Thoubal is about 15-18km along the river course. There are 10 Villages within this segment situated all along the river. The population is roughly 5000. There are 7-8 perennial streams that emptied into the River Thoubal within this segment. All the said villages had terraced paddy fields on the bank of the river.

The water of the River Thoubal along this segment is not available for irrigation as the river flow much below the level of the terraced fields. However, the River Thoubal along this segment is a steady source of food items such as fishes, molluscs, crabs, prawns, frogs and other edible insects and their larvae. In recent years, the number of species of all these "food items have steadily decreased and many species of fishes are found no more in the water of the" river Thoubal along this segment.

Some of the fish species that have not been caught or seen or detected in the last 10 years or so are given in their local names of which their scientific name I am not aware.

1. Khila
2. Ngmbo
3. Shara
4. Ngasek
5. Ngahaoa
6. Zheilo {a river trout} - 2 kinds
7. Chaphu
8. Ngarala
9. Khifa nakhu etc.

Out of the above, Ngahaoa, shara and ngasek were not heard of long before chemicals were used in the paddy fields or in the river water for fishing by chemical poisoning. Their loss could be due to the construction of the Thoubal multipurpose Dam downstream which could hinder their movement/migration in the breeding season.

The others were not heard for a decade by now. A few species such as ngawa, nganoi, ngamu, ngakha, ngarin, aantala, zorala are found today but their number is rapidly decreasing year by year. The most notable factor for decrease of their population is due to chemical poisoning. Chemicals such as Endrine, Endosulfan and another pesticide by the brand name Superkiller is used/abused to poisoned the river for easy and quick catch of fishes for sale or consumption.

In a single year, chemical poisoning of the river is done at least thrice along this river segment. People wake up in the morning to find large number of different species of dead fishes in the river especially during the month of March and April when the river is at its lowest.

This year, fishing by chemical poisoning had been done at least five times. The sad thing about chemical poisoning is that it kills all living organisms including aquatic plants. The above chemicals are so toxic that a single dose of about 250 ml can kill all living things along 6-7 Km of the river course. Fishing by these chemicals along this river segment had been going on for the last 10 years or so but nobody seems to care. Discouraging such activity by a few local leaders had not been heeded.

The second important factor for biodiversity loss is due to the extensive use of fertilisers and chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides and weedicides on the terraced paddy field of the river bank. The paddy fields are the breeding ground for many fish species. The sad thing is that their breeding ground had been poisoned year after year and even the soil had become poisonous from the toxic residue of the chemicals.

Most fingerlings are either killed or do not return for breeding in the next breeding season resulting in the dwindling of their numbers. Parasites such as Leeches are also not spared. They used to be a nuisance during the rainy season but are now rare. A bird by the local name Tomanah which were regularly seen during the rainy season when they come for breeding are now a very rare sight. It could be due to the use of pesticides and insecticides which kills the insects that could have been the food for her chicks.

The article though, far from comprehensive, is a call for the authorities concerned for action. It is high time concerned authorities tied up with local Leaders, Intellectuals, Chiefs and Headmen to stop this menace. Biodiversity loss in non reversible and once gone, it's forever.

Politicians from Kerala are trying to meet the Prime Minister in the effort to ban endosulfan in the State after the tragedy in the district of Kasargod. Water pollution due to urbanisation, industries and factories is nil as there are no such in the hills of Manipur in particular.

Pesticides and toxic chemicals are misused here in this part of Manipur and I am for the total ban of these abused chemicals in our State too before such is practised in other parts of the State. It is a great threat to biodiversity and the human species.