“Let us all climb together to worship or embark on various activities to bring back the past glory, its originality and essence of our beautiful and pride of the state, the Mt Koubru,” said COPPK secretary Lamtinthang Haokip.
By TFM Representative, Kangpokpi
Committee on Protection and Preservation of Mt Koubru (COPPK) on Sunday appealed to the people of the state both from the valley and hills to refrain from trekking to Mt Koubru during the pandemic, considering the alarming state of affairs owing to the dreaded COVID-19 second wave and rapid rise of infection and fatalities in the state.
During a press conference at KSO Administrative office at Kangpokpi DHQs, COPPK secretary Lamtinthang Haokip said that the second wave of COVID-19 has hit the nation hard as well as our state and it has become colossally dangerous for human being if extreme precautions are not taken from all angle.
However, despite the state government and other departments in collaboration with various like-minded civil society organisations working tirelessly in advocating the COVID appropriate behaviours, preventive measures and guidelines to be followed by the people to contain the spread of the virus, most people are still seen in a state of quietude over the dreaded second wave of COVID-19, he added.
He contended that trekking of Mt Koubru at this juncture has also become quite a high-risk in spreading the dreadful virus which could ultimately lead the state into a deep trouble, and added that a COVID-19 positive case among the trekkers has allegedly been detected.
“Therefore, I make a sincere appeal and beg the people of Manipur both from the valley and the hills to refrain ourselves from trekking the Mt. Koubru at this alarming situation,” he said and added that when this disturbing pandemic is over or contained “let us all climb together to worship or embark on various activities to bring back the past glory, its originality and essence of our beautiful and pride of the state, the Mt. Koubru”.
To refrain from trekking the Mt Koubru at this juncture will be considered one of the highest humanity shown towards human beings during this pandemic situation, he opined.
Lamtinthang Haokip further informed that COPPK in consultation with the concerned department and the area chiefs would embark on a massive tree plantation at Mt. Koubru range after the pandemic is over or controlled, which he said was agreed in principle on April 20.
In connection with the controversy surrounding Mt Koubru, Lamtinthang Haokip maintained that unless the matter is amicably resolved at the chief minister’s table, COPPK will stand and uphold the agreement allegedly signed on April 20 with the state government representatives.
As per the request of Saitu AC MLA Ngamthang Haokip, who is also the advisor to CM Biren, COPPK also made a sincere appeal to all the people of Manipur from the valley and hills as well as from any corner of the country and abroad to avoid issuing vested press release or sharing opinions or views on Mt Koubru impasse in any form of communication be it newspapers, television or social networking site which could ignite communal disharmony, he added.
Lamtinthang Haokip also warned that COPPK will not be responsible if the sincere appeal is defied and hampers the initiative for “honourable solution”. Such individuals or groups indulging in issuing vested press releases, sharing opinions or views shall be solely held responsible for any inconvenience or untoward incidents as such opinions or views are not the opinions, ideas and views of the committee, he added.