Ecologically fragile Manipur lake struggles to stay afloat

The BJP government in Manipur has violated an environment protection law and even misled the Manipur high court to fulfil its mega eco-tourism project, media reports say.

The N. Biren Singh government had drawn a Rs 2,000 crore project involving construction and inland waterway projects in and around Loktak – one of India’s largest natural freshwater lakes, The Wire reported.

Environmentalists say the eco-tourism project is not sustainable and has the potential to damage the fragile ecosystem of the lake and also threaten livelihoods of lakhs of local communities, which have been thriving on the lake and its services for generations.

The Loktak lake is located in Bishnupur district of Manipur and covers about 500 sq. km area, giving support to several species of animals and plants. The lake has been supporting local economy for many years and is a source of livelihood for the indigenous communities.

The Ramsar Convention, an international treaty that provides a framework to conserve and sustainably use wetlands, has recognised the lake. Going by the law, India is committed to protect the lake against encroachments by humans. Unfortunately, it is not the BJP government alone which has looked to exploit the ecologically-sensitive lake for commercial purpose. Over the last two decades, successive governments have seen the benefit of crores of rupees that may flow in if the lake is utilised for business purpose.

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The incumbent BJP government aims to convert the lake into a “world-class tourist destination”. While the CM claims the project is environment-friendly and will provide socio-economic benefits to local communities, it is difficult to envisage how resorts, a golf course, a recreation centre and a club can help save the local flora and fauna.

“These projects are going to destroy small scale tourism operations, such as homestays, run by our community,” Ram Wangkheirakpam, a homestay owner, told The Wire.

Oinam Rajen of All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Union (ALLAFUM), Manipur, said no local community was consulted before initiating the Loktak Eco-Tourism Project.

Environmentalists say the government is trying to change the natural setting of the lake. For example, the ‘phumdis’, the floating islands of vegetation for which the lake is famous, is a “growing menace”, as per the state government. They are being removed using heavy machines to deepen the waterways.

Experts say that ‘phumdis’ are an integral part of the ecology of the Loktak Lake and provide ecosystem services to local communities. The ‘phumdi ecosystem’ is unique and actually attracts tourists to Loktak lake.

All the redevelopment plans faced a blockade at the Manipur high court, which ruled in 2019 that no such activity can be taken up at Loktak lake without its (court’s) permission.

Over the last 20 years, several local fishermen have got displaced. The state offered them a meagre compensation of 40,000 each which was rejected by the fishermen because the amount was insufficient and there was no alternate plan with the government to rehabilitate them.

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Recently, the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) and the Directorate of Tourism approached the high court seeking permission to tender and solicit applications for work worth thousands of crores for the eco-tourism and the inland waterways improvement projects.

The Manipur government told the high court in October 2020 that if the tender process is not allowed, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will withdraw the money sanctioned for the project.

The court allowed the tendering process, but on condition that all environmental clearances will be obtained. Soon after, the Directorate of Tourism floated a tender for the eco-tourism project.  However, it turned out that ADB hadn’t even examined the government’s proposal – let alone sanction a loan or disburse funds.

On January 25 this year, the Director of Tourism said that funds from ADB were yet to be okayed – more than a year after the Manipur state government had claimed in court that they had been.

It means the state government’s submission to the high court was false.