Imphal, January 22: To remove the phumdis which have got a strangle hold on Loktak lake; plans are afoot to divert the phumdis to Manipur river through a canal to be constructed at Tera Khunou Khong Ahanbi in Mayang Imphal Assembly constituency.

Earlier the phumdis were diverted towards Khordak river when the major rivers of the State are in spate and when the water level of Loktak rises appreciably.

But since this has not worked satisfactorily, the State Government has decided to construct the canal at Tera Khunou Khong Ahanbi and divert the phumdis to Manipur River.

To get a first hand account of the situation at the lake, Chairman of the Assembly Estimate Committee, M Nilachandra and member Salam Ibohal toured the surroundings of the lake today.

Nilachandra instructed officials of the Loktak Development Authority to prepare a survey report for the construction of the new canal and to submit the same to the State Government at the earliest possible.

If remedial steps are not taken up now on a war footing, the very existence of the lake will be in danger and this will also .have an adverse impact on the Loktak Down Stream Project, not to speak of the negative effect on the lives of the fisher folks, said Nilachandra.

To help the fishing community living by the lakeside, the State Government has opened nine mini hatcheries.

In a single day one mini hatchery has the capacity to produce ten lakhs fish fingerlings.

Fifty percent of the fingerlings produced will be released into Loktak Lake while the rest will be given to Beneficiary Committees.

The Estimate Committee members also inspected the Mini Hatching Plant installed at Phabakchao.

Plans are on to begin operational work at the Mini Hatching Plant by February.

The team also inspected the water supply scheme at Phabakchao, Laphupat Tera, Uchiwa and Uchiwa Awang Leikai which has failed to take off.

However the team found that the Mayang Imphal water supply scheme is functioning at its optimum level.

Mention may be made here that the water supply scheme has been put on hold as there is no fund to purchase diesel for activating the generator of the scheme.

Villagers highlighted the problem of acute water shortage and asked the Estimate Committee members when the water supply scheme would start functioning.

Executive Engineer of the PHED (Imphal West district, Rural Sector), Th Lokeshore assured the villagers that work would start soon and water would be made available to them.

The villagers were told that they can lodge complaints with the PHED office at Lamphelpat everyday between 1 and 2 pm.

The Estimate Committee team also inspected the site where a road is to be laid from Sekmaijin to Khordak Ichin.

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