After getting the better of poaching, encroaching, phumdi clearance is now the threat to the Sangai
Phumdi clearance jeopardising Sangai habitat
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 07, 2010: Is the price to be paid worth it or not ? This is one pertinent question that arises following severe impacts caused in the course of clearing the phumdis from inside Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only natural habitat in the world of the endangered Sangai.

As part of the phumdi clearance exercise from Loktak lake, phumdis are being removed from Keibul Lamjao too which is against the directives of the Supreme Court.

This serious discrepancy was discovered in the course of an investigation conducted by The Sangai Express into the phumdi clearance work being conducted by M/S K Pro Infra Private Works under LDA with funding from the Planning Commission.

As a short term action plan, phumdis are being cleared both manually and with machines after which the uprooted phumdis are pushed down the river after opening Ithai Barrage.

In accordance to an advice from the Chief Minister who is also the LDA Chairman, the LDA took up necessary measures to flush out cut off phumdis along Khordak river, and Babukhong and Khuningthek channels which cut across Keibul Lamjao National Park.

Workers trying to get a phumdi past along the waterway

The LDA opted for Khordak river and the two channels rather than Komlakhong canal which can be used for flushing out phumdis into the Imphal river which necessitates dredging of Komlakhong for a length of just about 300/400 metres.

LDA Project Director Th Ibobi wrote to the Chief Wild Life Warden on July 19 this year seeking permission to allow restoration and disposal of phumdis from Laphupat area of Loktak lake through Keibul Lamjao without affecting phumdis of the National Park.

The Chief Wild Life Warden gave the requisite permission under certain conditions without seeking approval/informing the Supreme Court or the Ministry of Forest and Environment on July 26 this year.

The conditions put up by the Chief Wild Life Warden included fastening thick phumdis to bamboo poles to avoid movement after shifting them to water bodies inside the Park, using a narrow outlet for removal of cut off phumdis without affecting phumdis of the park and keeping away heavy and noisy machinery.

Further, staff of the Park should be involved in clearing phumdis.

In case any of these conditions are violated, the permission to let out phumdis through the park would be cancelled, the Warden stated cearly.

One official of the LDA said that phumdis from Laphupat area of the Park were being cut and pushed down canals through the park.

The LDA raised a protest in this regard pointing out that this was violative of the conditions, he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Conservator of Park and Sanctuary L Joykumar has submitted a report to the Chief Wild Life Warden stating that the K Pro Infra Private Works has cleared 20 hectares of stationary phumdis from the Park.

This extensive clearance of phumdis has opened easy accessibility to illegal fishing, poaching and smooth boating besides disturbing ecology of the Park.

The Deputy Conservator also intimated the Chief Warden to prevail over the LDA to stop phumdi clearance inside the Park.

Subsequently, the LDA reported to the Chief Wild Life Warden that efforts to restore phumdis from where it was cleared was objected by the local people on the ground that restoration of phumdis would impede fishing.

However, the LDA report mentioned anything about stopping phumdi clearance work inside the Park.

Incidentally, there is standing ruling of the Supreme Court no forest, national park or sanctuary can be de-reserve without its prior approval.

No non-forest activity is permitted in national parks and sanctuaries recognised under Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. Moreover, removal of dead or decaying trees, grasses, drift wood etc is prohibited from any comprising a part of national parks or sanctuaries notified under Section 18 or 35 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. But what is being witnessed inside Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only natural home of the State animal is a scene of total lawlessness.