Imphal: The majestic Loktak Lake in Manipur is being cleared of all floating fishing huts that have mushroomed encroaching upon the core zone of the wetland.

“We have given them a notice to vacate the lake and have also given them a proper compensation package. Those who are not accepting it, we are dismantling their settlements and burning the huts. Without doing that, we cannot protect the ecology of the lake,” Manipur’s DGP Joykumar Singh said.

IMPHAL: As a part of preserving the ecological balance in the Loktak, the biggest natural lake in Eastern Indian, the officials of the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) have started forcing the fishermen to burn their thatched shacks constructed on the floating bio-mass. According to the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 the government identified 1,100 thatched huts. The government had decided to give them Rs 40,000 each for rehabilitation elsewhere.

Imphal: A critically-endangered species of deer, which has taught itself to walk using only two legs for fear of sinking in the floating biomass of Loktak lake here, is on the verge of losing its last home in the world, warn experts.

Made up of continuous floating biomass vegetation, the Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) situated inside the lake is the only remaining natural habitat of the ‘Sangai’, also known as the ‘dancing deer’ for its unique artistic manoeuvring abilities inside the fragile swamp.

Imphal: The Loktak hydro-electric power project, commissioned three decades back, has reached electricity to thousands, but robbed thousand others of their livelihood.

The Loktak lake, which has to have water to the optimum, often causes flash flood in the agricultural land on its periphery, turning them into swamps unfit for cultivation. The state government estimates that the Ithai barrage on Manipur river, constructed in 1979 as a part of the power project, has submerged 20,000 hectares of cultivable land while unofficial estimates peg the figure at as high as 83,000 hectares.

Flood waters have not only made commuting difficult but have also entered people's homes in areas like Uripok, Lamphelpat, Lamsang, Nambol and Langol Grace Colony. ast tracts of agricultural land have also been submerged in the floods. Thousands of acres of paddy fields and fish farms have been destroyed.

IMPHAL, March 27: As a result of the global climatic change which became very grave in the last two decades, a number of unknown plants of alien species have been discovered in Manipur.

On the other hand, researchers have an apprehension that rice productivity of Manipur would fall by 40 per cent by 2085.

Meanwhile, in accordance to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Forest and Environ

ITHAI (MANIPUR), April 16

IMPHAL, July 6: Farmers of the state should adopt new scientific methods of cultivation to cope with the increasing demand for food, said agriculture minister, N Loken while speaking to the farmers of Bishnupur district yesterday. Hundreds of farmers of Bishnupur district, mostly from Nambol area, yesterdayconverged at the Iputhou Thangjing ground, Nambol Leimapokpam to attend a programme on

UCIL's bauxite mine project: Assistance from rapid action force was sought to conduct public hearing. No environmental issue was taken up during the hearing