Imphal, July 25: Perturbed by the state government of Manipur’s indifferent attitude towards their plight, All Loktak Lake Area Fishermen’s Union (ALLAFU), Manipur is saying the state government is denying steps to rehabilitate the displaced Loktak fishermen whose huts had been dismantled.
Rehabilitation and re-settlement plan for the victimised fishermen of Loktak Lake has still remained a farce leaving them without any work and a place to live, O Rajen, secretary, ALLAFU told a press conference here at the Manipur Press Club on Wednesday.
He said the fishermen who once earned their livelihood from Loktak Lake are now suffering because the authority had destroyed all their fishing gear and equipments during the eviction drive.
The government is not paying attention on their demand to constitute a welfare act for the evicted fishermen by repealing the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, Rajen lamented.
He also said Lotak residents are greatly disturbed and agonized whenever the personnel of Indian Army patrol in the lake using motorboats to combat insurgents and that such operation also impedes their means of livelihood.
The efforts of the state government to develop the surrounding areas of the lake will worsen its already bad condition, the ALLAFU secretary maintained while adding that the Loktak Project’s Ithai Barrage needs reviewing and if necessary it should be de-commissioned to save the lake.
Rajen alleged that the Ithai Barrage is the principal cause of degradation of Loktak Lake.
He also demanded that the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006 should be made improvement in order to make it par with Ramsar Convention, and that all the victimized fishermen whose huts had been set ablaze and destroyed in November 2011 be rehabilitated.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/loktak-fishermen-demand-rehabilitation/
