All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Union Manipur (ALLAFUM) submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India demanding to repeal the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006.Addressing a press conference today at Manipur Press Club, O. Rajen, Secretary, ALLAFUM, said that ALLAFUM have participated the National Fisheries Stakeholder’s Consultation on ‘Floodplain Wetland Resources for Fish Production’ on August 27 at NIRD-NERC Khanapara, Guwahati organised by National Fisheries Development Board. He further said that a team of ALLAFUM had gone to New Delhi and submitted a memorandum for necessary intervention regarding the Loktak wetland. The demands are as follow; repeal the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006, decommission the Ithai Dam (Barrage), build spinway for aquatic animals, Loktak Lake upstream treatment, provide special mechanism to prevent fish entry into NHPC main Canal and restore the Loktak Lake biodiversity. Rajen said under the Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 the ecological balance of the Lake has been damaged. He said that the Ithai Dam has totally destroyed the prosperous agricultural, fish, wetland vegetation, etc., of the Lake by blocking the natural migratory fishes and other aquatic animals and their breeding cycles causing extinction of some aquatic and amphibian species in the Lake and its eco system. The Loktak Multipurpose Hydro electric Power Project (LMHEPP) also gives a deathly blow to the economy of the state and also threatens the food security.
