Asia's biggest lake under threat

Imphal, July 9 (UNI) One of the biggest fresh water lakes in Asia, the Loktak lake of Manipur, is on the verge of extinction.

State government officials visited the lake, about 45 kms from Imphal at Bishenpur district, and said that the lake is getting shallower everyday and water plants (floating bio mass) have started appearing on the lake, making it look like a mass of land.

Meanwhile, the state government has passed the Loktak Lake (Protection) Bill 2006, which will limit fishing activities of the people settled on the lake.

The lake provides livelihood to large number of people from Bishenpur and Thoubal districts. But after the National Hydro Power Corporation took up the Loktak hydro project, large numbers of agricultural lands had also been submerged.

The villagers fear that they will be robbed off their only means of occupation if fishing was not allowed.

They alleged the government had taken away their agricultural land for the project during mid 1970s and now it was trying to rob their only mode of livelihood also.

They appealed to the state government to arrange alternative source of livelihood and not separate them from the lake.

UNI NS SP PA BD1525