(IN): Manipur a part of biodiversity hotspot fast becoming the most endangered

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Manipur a part of biodiversity hotspot fast becoming the most endangered By

: Thingbaijam Dhamen/IFP 2/11/2008 1:54:23 AM

 

IMPHAL, Feb 10: The Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots, which Manipur is part

of, becomes one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots due to the rate

of resource exploitation and habitat loss.

 

Among the proximate causes for loss of biodiversity, the shrinkage of

cultivable land and subsequent reclamation from the forests and wetland

areas is also one which are leading to degradation of a number of endemic

species, according to a study of the state environment and ecology wing.

 

Even though scientific and sustainable management of biodiversity resources

of Manipur has become one of the prime issues in Manipur for the

conservation of biodiversity, there is a wide gap pertaining to biodiversity

management and conservation, between the concerned authorities and the

public including the army, legislature etc., the environment and ecology

wing has observed.

 

The state, though systematically underexplored, is immensely endowed with

biological resources, with only about 5% of the natural habitats of the

region estimated to be in relatively pristine condition and another 10-25%

of the land in damaged but ecologically functional condition.

 

It is a bio-reserve of international significance and its conservation and

restoration would have a global impact.

 

Loss of wetland habitat due to erosion of catchment areas, siltation,

eutrophication and encroachment for settlement and farming purposes directly

affects the biodiversity of the wetlands.

 

Loss of wetlands has is a major cause for the degradation of the

biodiversity in the state, observed Dr. Tourangbam Brajakumar, analyst of

the environment and ecology wing of the Manipur government.

 

Manipur had a record of 155 lakes in the past but there are now only 13

lakes as indicated by data provided by remote sensing satellite images, he

said.

 

He further wondered whether the 13 existing lakes are really within the

category of lakes as most of them are dry in the seasons other than the

rainy season.

 

For being a lake, the depth of the water level should be at least 3 meters

but even Loktak lake, the greatest fresh water lake in the north eastern

region of the country, has hardly this depth, he observed.

 

Further, he said some of the lakes which are reported to still exist, like

the Yaralpat and Lamphelpat (at Tangkham) in Imphal east, and another

Lamphelpat in Imphal west, are drying in the winter season.

He also cautioned that if the present trend of deposition of sediments in

the lakes continued unchecked, the Loktak, Ekop etc. lakes may also dry up

in the winter season.

 

In Manipur, the various lakes besides the rivers form a major part of the

wetlands.

 

The lakes include the Loktak lake, Ikop, Waithou, Pumlen/Khoidum pat,

Ushoipokpi pat, Loushipat, Utrapat, Sanapat, Tankha pat, Karam Pat, Lamphel

pat, Zailad lake and Jaimeng lake.

 

Out of these lakes only Loktak lake has been identified under National Lake

Conservation Programme (NLCP) by the ministry of environment and forests,

government of India.

 

Conservation of inland ecosystem with special reference to sustainable

development if wetlands, its biodiversity and fishery management along with

EIA is being taken up in the state, according to the latest newsletter of

the state environment and ecology wing.

 

Under the programme, the authority is conducting identification of threats

and their impacts on wetlands, development of baseline data on hydrology,

limnology, silt load and siltation, ecology, socio-economic aspects,

catchment area, flora and fauna in terms of endangered threatened, endemic,

vulnerable etc. including macro ones.

 

The identification and demarcation of wetlands from legal as well as

ecological point of view, treatment of degraded catchment of wetlands,

prevention of pollution of water from the discharge of agricultural

pesticides, insecticide, domestic wastes etc. are also being taken up, it

said.

 

Designing and construction of fish ladder for Ithai Barrage (dam) and other

dams which are concerned with decline in wetland biodiversity by blocking

the fish migratory routes and rejuvenation of the lost habitat of resident

birds in the wetlands are also being taken up by the authorities.

 

In the context of the world, climate change is forcing biodiversity to adapt

either through shifting habitat, changing life cycles, or the development of

new physical traits.

 

As an impact of it, the globe is facing disappearance of species at the rate

of three for every one hour from the world, with loss of 150 species from

the earth so far.

 

It is also estimated that upto one million species may have become extinct

as a result of climate change.

 

 

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