Guwahati: In a significant development, the All Loktak Lake Areas Fishers Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM), has questioned the Manipur government’s unilateral decision to advance the proposed Loktak inland waterways improvement project. The fishermen’ union contends that the state government’s move lacks consultation with the local fishing community residing in and around the peripheral areas of the Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in South Asia, nestled in the northeast state’s Bishnupur district.
Expressing concern over the potential adverse effects on the lake’s ecology and the traditional livelihoods of numerous fishermen families, the ALLAFUM condemned the government for not including the local fishermen as primary stakeholders in the state-level discussions on the project. Secretary of ALLAFUM, Oinam Rajen, highlighted that the recent interaction sessions organised by the Manipur transport department deliberately excluded the Loktak fishermen, while unrelated groups like the All Manipur Entrepreneur’s Association (AMEA) were invited, as per a press statement.
The fishermen union underscored that the government’s action contradicts the earlier opposition voiced by the Loktak fishermen against the Loktak inland waterways improvement project, citing potential negative impacts on the lake’s ecosystem and the fishermen’ livelihoods. Despite a directive from the Manipur High Court in 2022 instructing authorities not to initiate development works around the Loktak Lake without court permission, the government is moving ahead with the project. The High Court’s involvement stems from the Supreme Court’s directions to maintain the status of Ramsar sites across India, including the Loktak Lake, the statement added.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated by the High Court in 2017 sought the state government’s response on ecosystem restoration measures for Loktak Lake, emphasising the need to prevent developmental projects from compromising the lake’s Ramsar site status. The famous Loktak Lake has long been embroiled in controversy due to disruptions in its hydrological regime caused by the Ithai Barrage of the Loktak hydroelectric power project since 1983, it stated.
The statement further said that the barrage has been implicated in ecological and environmental challenges within the Manipur river basin, negatively impacting biodiversity and the fishermen’ livelihoods. ALLAFUM has vehemently opposed the government’s initiative to advance the inland waterways improvement project without consulting the Loktak Lake-dependent fishing community and considering potential negative impacts on the lake’s ecosystem. The fishers’ union has called for a more inclusive and environmentally conscious approach in decision-making processes related to the Loktak Lake and its surroundings.
The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast.
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