The fishers questioned why LDA proposes to regulate and restrict the harvesting of (bio)resources from the lake, both living and non-living (as in Section 8), which indicates that the locals would be restricted from free access into the lake area to harvest food and fodder plants from within the lake as they have been doing so since ages.
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Citing a document of the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) that surfaced recently, fisher-folk living in and around Loktak Lake have alleged that government of Manipur is back-tracking on its commitment to work for the welfare of the fishing community of Loktak Lake despite assurances given by state leaders and which was reflected in the BJP election manifesto for state assembly election 2022.
A document (so far unknown official status) captioned as “Brief Document on Loktak Lake”, compiled and prepared by LDA project director L Bhagaton Singh, has been doing the rounds since last week and the contents of the document is purportedly causing uncertainties and apprehensions amongst the fishing community residing in the lake islands and around the peripheral areas of the lake.
The document spells out activities that are to be prohibited in the lake area (as in Section 7 of the said Brief Document) and the indication of prohibiting athaphum fishing and the construction of Phum huts in the lake area is being questioned by the local fishing community as of being a big threat to their livelihoods and their future as wetland dependent Indigenous people.
The context setting in the document wherein LDA has claimed (as in Section 5) that the capture fishery practiced by the locals since decades is negatively impacting the ecology of the lake is creating undue apprehension amongst the Loktak fishing community as prelude to state’s repressive moves against the fishers.
The fishers questioned why LDA proposes to regulate and restrict the harvesting of (bio)resources from the lake, both living and non-living (as in Section 8), which indicates that the locals would be restricted from free access into the lake area to harvest food and fodder plants from within the lake as they have been doing so since ages.
The fishers asserted that they construct eco-friendly Phum huts on the floating biomass using locally available material like bamboo, thatch and water reed for shelter from rain and sun while engaging in capture fishery in the lake, and these do not have any negative impact on the lake ecology as suggested by LDA.
Stating that fishery is their only occupation and means of providing for their families, the fishers alleged that the LDA is contemplating on depriving them of their only means of earning their livelihoods by fishing in the lake.
It may be recalled that the High Court of Manipur as part of its proceedings on the PIL case No. 24 of 2017, which it had taken up on its own motion, read with Review Petition No.6 of 2021, has since been insisting upon the LDA to submit the Brief Document on Loktak Lake profiling the lake boundary and the pre-existing rights and privileges of the wetland dependent communities amongst other information to be provided by LDA.
It is understood that the court’s proceeding has been deferred a few times as LDA failed to submit the final draft of its Brief Document on Loktak Lake, and the revised Integrated Wise Use Plan for management of the lake. Concerned environmentalists working for the welfare of the lake and its wetland dependent communities informed TFM that the LDA has so far not brought out the Brief Document in public domain for seeking Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the local communities.
Meanwhile, it is learnt from reliable sources that the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India (Wetlands Division), had on 8th March earlier this year issued an Office Memorandum instructing all State Wetland Authorities in the country to ensure the protection of all the identified 2,01,503 wetlands (>2.25 ha) as per the National Wetlands Inventory and Assessment, 2011 on the basis of Rule 4 of the national Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
Following this development, the fishing community of Loktak Lake have urged upon the Manipur State Wetlands Authority to take up steps for notifying Loktak Lake under the provisions of the said Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
Citing Rule 5:4(g) and Rule 5:4(i) of the national Wetlands Rules 2017, the Loktak fishers pointed out that the provisions of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 offer more safety nets for the locals as compared to The Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 which has since been a bone of contention between lake managers and the local fishers over imposition of restrictions on the rights to access and use of the lake resources, and rights to livelihoods.
The contains in Section 5 and Section 7 of the said Brief Document on Loktak Lake reportedly being prepared by LDA is bound to enhance the conflicts of interest between the lake managers and the local communities, the fishers asserted while stating that they will remain firm in their assertion of their rights within their territory of life which encompasses the entire water spread of Loktak Lake.
Calling upon the authority of LDA to take into confidence the local fishing community before taking up any step to redefine the administration of the lake, the fishers warned that they will launch peaceful agitation against the move and would also move the high court to stop LDA from committing injustice to the marginalized Loktak fishers.
It may further be recalled that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in their Manipur State Election 2022 manifesto had assured to convert the Champu Khangpok floating village within Loktak Lake as “Heritage Floating Village”, thus providing a legal status to the only floating village in the world, under the party’s wetland conservation strategy. The proposal to prohibit Phum huts within Loktak Lake as provided in Section 7 of the LDA’s Brief Document goes against the noble principle of the ruling BJP, the fishers stated.
Urging the ruling BJP-led Government in the State to commit to its Manipur Manifesto 2022 provision wherein it promised to formulate an “Integrated Plan for Wise Use Policy” for the lake, the fishers call upon the Government to initiate steps for formulating the plan in line with the suggestion on wise use of wetlands as laid out in Rule 5:4(g) of the national Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.