Stakeholders consultative meeting on Loktak Lake held

IMPHAL — A one-day stakeholders consultative meeting on the Loktak Lake was held under the aegis of Loktak Development Authority (LDA) and Manipur Technology Innovation Hub in collaboration with University of Nottingham, UK, at the Conference Hall of Inland Water Transport Building, Lake Front Garden in Manipur on Monday.

LDA Chairman M Asnikumar Singh; Associate Professor and National Geographic Explorer, University of Nottingham, Dr. Virginia Panizzo; LDA Superintending Engineer (Wetland In-charge) Ng Sanajaoba Meetei, Environmentalist and Honorary Wildlife Warden (Bishnupur) K Jugeshwore Singh; and British Geological Survey Hamish Duncalf –Youngson were present during the consultative meeting followed by interaction.

Speaking on the occasion, Asnikumar Singh said that LDA has constituted an Expert Advisory Committee to address issues related to the fast-changing ecological status of the Loktak lake and their impact on the socio-economic condition of the communities dependent on them, the report of the advisory committee is on course to be released soon.

Highlighting that the government of Manipur is determined to make the Loktak Lake an iconic wetland site in the global context, he said a high level meeting chaired by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change which was held in Delhi gave a positive sign for a quick approval of an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) in consultation with WISA.

Asserting that the state government under the personal supervision of the Chief Minister is also working on a long-term plan to conserve and preserve the Loktak wetland complex, he stated that it has already approached the Asian Development Bank with a detailed project report to rejuvenate the ecology of the lake and improve the livelihood of those dependent on the lake for sustenance.