Posers raised over number of Phumdis
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 29: In the efforts being made by the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) to remove the Atha Phums (artificially grown floating biomasses) and improve the condition of the Loktak lake by way of compensating the fish farmers, who have been growing these floating biomasses for their fishing purposes, there seems to be some discrepancies with regard to the number of Phums identified by the Government for removal and those detected by Remote Sensing Satellite.

A picture of Loktak Lake where a pciture of the Phumdis is seen from a steelite mapping

Starting from October this year, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has not only initiated the steps to remove the floating biomasses by giving a compensation amount of Rs 13,000 for every Atha Phum to rehabilitate around 50 fish farmers who for so long have been depending on these Phumdis for catching fishes, but the State Government has been targeting to remove 4000 Atha Phums within the current year.

The State Government has also set aside a sum of over Rs 5.2 crores for giving compensation to the affected fish farmers so that they can purchase fishing nets and boats to carry on with their fishing activities.

However, a reliable source disclosed to The Sangai Express that the total number of Atha-Phums that have been detected by the Manipur Remote Sensing Application Centre though the Remote Sensing Satellite mapping in 2006 was only 3117.There is little chance for any mistake in this regard as the Satellite pictures taken were with the help of high resolution camera.

On the other hand, an official of the LDA said that the calculation of the number of Atha-Phums in the lake had been carried out from the month of June to August 2006 by dividing the entire lake into two sections as Eastern and Western side.

The task had been carried under the overall supervision of two EEs each who were assisted by 3 AE and 8 SOs each.

Along with calculating the total number of Atha Phums in the lake as 4800, the LDA officials had also identified the owners of these floating bio-masses.

But it was decided that compensation for 4000 phumdis would be paid under the Special Plan Assistant in the current financial year.

However, as there was no such facility at that time, the pictures taken up the remote sensing satellite had not been made used of at the time of counting the Atha Phums, the official said, adding that so far compensation amount have been given to owners of 352 Atha Phums after signing undertakings.

The efforts being made by the Govt is to discourage fish farmers from growing Atha Phums on the lake and to provide financial assistance for purchasing fishing nets and boats.