Experts talk on conservation of wetlands in Manipur

[caption id="attachment_209492" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Prof. W Vishwanath, Prof. N Deva, Prof. P Kumar, and Prof. Th Binoy seen here during the interaction on conservation of wetlands, in Manipur.[/caption] Our Correspondent Imphal, Sep. 29 (EMN): A day long interaction on ‘conservation of wetlands in Manipur’ was held under the aegis of state directorate of Environment in Imphal on Saturday. The objective of the interaction on wetlands is to find facts and importance and issues of 23 wetlands out of 119 wetlands in Manipur which were considered as important wetlands of the state. More than a dozen scholars, wetland activists and teachers gave presentations on their research and findings on different wetlands of the state during the interaction which was presided over by chaired by Dr. Kh Shamungou, chairman of technical committee of Manipur State Wetlands authority. Four experts in diverse fields including Prof. W Vishwanath, Prof. N Deva, Prof. P Kumar, and Prof. Th Binoy, all from Manipur University shared their observations. RK Birjit, a life science lecturer who has extensive research on water birds of state wetlands, observed that there should be judicious lake water allocation policy in order to conserve Loktak. Expressing concern over various uncontrolled human activities in Loktak which severely affects the biodiversity of the wetland, he called upon the authorities to conduct an in-depth scientific study on increase of the water weed and other invasive grasses in the wetlands considering the report of spotting congress grass, and paragrass. Sharing sighting of wetlands in hill areas of the state particularly in Churachandpur, Kamjong and Noney districts, the technical committee member of the State Wetland Authority Salam Rajesh drew attention of the concern authorities for development of artificial water bodies such as Yang, Khuga and Khoupum lakes after the opening of Thoubal, Khuga and Khoupum projects. Forest officer Kh Hitler highlighted various activities taken up by his department while conserving Zeliad Lake and other wildlife in Tamenglong district. Dr. M Bhumeshwari, a zoology lecturer stated that a number of aquatic insects including edible ones available in the wetlands of the state are vanishing day by day due to anthropogenic activities. Dr. M Haripriy, a botanist lecturer of Manipur College expressed concern over the disappearance of main foods of rare deer Sangai in Keibul Lamjao National Park located on the southern side of Loktak. RK Chingkhei of Manipur University shared the past and present status of Lamphelpat, an important wetland in Imphal in view of the rapid urbanisation process in the state. In his concluding remark, Director Y Nabachandra of state Environment department urged the wetland experts and activists of the state to help the department in formulating a baseline data on state wetlands so that it can be updated regularly for further activities.