Imphal: Manipur Governor La. Ganesan has said that all efforts should be put in place to save and conserve wetlands in the state. He was speaking as Chief Guest at the World Wetlands Day observation held at Sendra in Moirang Sub-Division of Bishnupur district on Thursday.
The governor said the significance of observing the day is to make everyone aware of the importance of wetlands in our lives. According to him, wetlands play an important role in balancing our environment, allowing many living beings, including humans, to survive. Many resources that are important for living beings are provided by the wetlands around us.
La. Ganesan continued that, however, many degrading and disrupting activities have been continuing, which affect the normal ecology of the wetlands, causing ecological imbalance and climate change. Cautioning such activities, he said, all disrupting activities like encroachment should be checked and nobody should be allowed to do so.
On the conservation of Loktak Lake, the governor said, the government alone cannot conserve the lake. He said all stakeholders, including NGOs and individuals, should cooperate with each other and help the government through various initiatives being taken to restore and conserve the lake. “All are responsible for the conservation of wetlands, particularly Loktak Lake,” he added.
Forest Environment and Climate Change Minister Th. Biswajit Singh said the state government has been trying to save and conserve wetlands. He said 168 wetlands have been identified in the state, and steps to conserve them have been taken. He further said that proposals have been sent to the Environment Ministry, and for the first phase, four wetlands will be developed. Citing the importance of wetlands, he appealed to people to resolve the conservation of wetlands in the state.
Robindro Singh, Chairman, MSPDCL; Thongam Shanti Singh, MLA; and M. Asnikumar Singh, Chairman, Loktak Development Authority, also spoke on the importance of conservation of wetlands, particularly the Loktak lake and its associated wetlands, and urged people to cooperate in the process of complete rejuvenation of the lake and other wetlands in the State. S. Premchandra Singh, MLA, also attended the observation.
