DIPR
Imphal, Oct 8,
Governor Najma Heptulla has suggested the State Government to curb commercial killings of wild animals with the enforcement of effective measures. She was speaking at the closing function of the 63rd Wildlife Week celebration organised by the State Forest and Environment Department at the auditorium of Manipur State Film Development Society, Palace Compound in Imphal East District today.
Informing that there are two kinds of hunting namely, subsistence hunting and commercial hunting, the Governor opined that commercial hunting should be completely banned to protect wildlife and maintain ecological balance.
Heptulla said that Manipur is one out of the 34 biodiversity hotspots across the globe. India has four biodiversity hotspots and out of these four, Manipur falls under two hotspots i.e. the Himalayan and the Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspots, she added.
The Governor mentioned that Manipur’s biodiversity includes about 4,000 angiosperms, 1200 medicinal plants, 34 species of edible fungi, about 500 orchids, 55 species of bamboo, 695 birds, 160 fish species, 21 migratory aquatic birds and multitude of butterflies and insects. It is the responsibility of the people and the Government to protect it, she observed.
The Governor said that there is a vast area of wetland in Bishnupur district, where a large number of migratory water birds visits, mostly from China, Mongolia and Siberia during the period from October to February every year. However, the number of these migratory birds is declining every year due to certain reasons. One reason could be the high water level being maintained due to the construction of Ithai Barrage, which has led to lack of food for migratory birds, she added.
Heptulla said that she has been supporting the cause for dismantling the Barrage for free flow of water to maintain the original eco-system and save Loktak Lake. She said that she had been told that around 16 species of indigenous fish had become extinct due to blocking of water by the barrage.
Speaking on the rare Sangai, the Governor said that the brow-antlered deer was declared extinct in 1951 and then it was re-discovered at Keibul Lamjao in 1953. Due to continued efforts of the State Forest Department, the population of Sangai today had reached around 260 now, she added.
Speaking as the functional president, Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh said that he is happy that people in hill districts have also started realizing the need for wildlife and environment protection. Stating that uptil some time back, migratory bird Amur Falcon had stopped coming to Manipur’s Tamenglong district, the Chief Minister informed that a large number of Amur Falcons had started visiting the district again due to the dedicated efforts of some organisations and villagers.
Trees are very important in the survival of human beings, as such, there is need to plant more and more trees, he added. The Government can only formulate policies but proper and effective execution of these policies requires people’s support and co-operation, the Chief Minister observed.
Regarding the inconvenience currently faced by farmers due to scanty rainfall, the Chief Minister said that a high power State level committee had been constituted to look into the problem. He informed that the Minor Irrigation Department had started taking up steps to irrigate water to dry paddy fields in 51 identified places of different districts. For this purpose, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) would provide required water pipes to the Minor Irrigation Department, he said while adding that water pump sets would be provided at the places inspected and identified by a team of officials.
