Thursday, August 9, 2012

Worldwide Save Loktak Lake Campaign


Worldwide Save Loktak  Lake Campaign

Organised by North East Centre for Environmental Education and Research (NECEER)
Imphal, Manipur

25+ Cities in 3 continents
(2010-2020)
The campaign is an awareness programme initiated by NECEER, Imphal for the conservation of Loktak Lake. More than 700 volunteers and 32 city Coordinators are involved in organizing this campaign. The campaign is to create awareness about the conservation of Loktak Lake, the largest fresh water lake in Northeast India. The lake was recognised as Ramsar site in 1990. Keibul Lamjao, the only floating national park in the world is situated at the south west part of the lake. It is home to the endangered Manipur brow antlered deer ‘Sangai’ - Cervus eldi eldi and many endangered species. The lake is an Important Bird Area identified by BNHS, Mumbai and Birdlife International.

Involvement of youth and mobilization of public for the conservation of Loktak Lake is the main objective of the campaign. The award* winning campaign is supported by more than 20 international and national organizations.
*Special mention at SCHOLL Research Challenge 2010.
Loktak Lake, the lifeline of Manipur

About Loktak Lake:
Loktak Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Northeast India. It has an area of 300sq km and has been recognised as Ramsar site in 1990. Keibul Lamjao, the only floating national park in the world is situated at the south west part of the lake. It is home to the endangered Manipur brow antlered deer ‘Sangai’ – Cervus eldi eldiand many endangered species. The lake has been a main source of income and sustenance for inhabitants of the area. For the last few decades the lake has been facing all round destructions due to both natural and anthropogenic activities. Rapid expansion of ‘Phoomdis*’, siltation, pollution, agriculture and adverse effect from Loktak Hydropower Project are some of the main problems which had led to an alarming destruction of the lake.
1. Siltation: due to excessive deforestation in adjoining hills and shifting cultivation (jhum) along the catchment area
2. Eutrophication: the lake is eutrophic due to increased loading of P,N into lake caused due to dumping of domestic waste, inflow of organochlorine pesticide from paddy fields
3. Pollution:  untreated industrial waste which has resulted into increased growth of macrophytes, phytoplanktons and thereby escalating water pollution.
4. Loktak Hydroelectric Power Plant:  The impacts of Loktak Hydel Project includes inundation of agricultural fields of catchment area, decline in diversity of avifauna and pisces, thinning of phoomdis which threatens the potential habitat of Sangai deer, and siltation due to outflow of silt- laden water. Encroachment for agricultural activities and fish farms. 
* Phoomdis are floating islands of heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter in different stages of decay. They cover a substantial part of the lake area and are found in different shapes and sizes. Keibul Lamjao National Park, the largest single mass of phoomdi is the world’s only floating national park covers an area of 40 km2; the park is the natural habitat of endangered Sangai, found only in this area.

     WORLDWIDE SAVE LOKTAK LAKE CAMPAIGN :    SUCCESS STORIES     

First Phase 
March 2010 (REPORT)
  1. New Delhi, Delhi (India): Ms. Mehnaz
  2. Guwahati, Assam (India): Mr. Kripaljyoti Mazumdar
  3. Silchar, Assam (India): Mr. Chinmoy Choudhury
  4. Imphal, Manipur (India): Mr. Mohen Naorem
  5. Shillong, Meghalaya (India): Ms. RK. Jashmi Devi 
Press releases
_________________________________

Second Phase 
April and May 2010 (REPORT)
  1. Mumbai, Maharashtra (India): Mr. James 
  2. Kolhapur, Maharahtra (India): Mr. Lulel Sagolsem 
  3. Melli, Sikkim (India): Mr. Puran Giri
  4. Darjeeling, West Bengal (India): Mr. Puran Giri
Press releases
_________________________________

Third Phase: 2011
  1. Pune, Maharashtra (India): Mr. Anthony Moirangthem & Mr. RK Jyotin 
  2. Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India):  Mr. Thangjam Bicky
  3. Puducherry (India): Ms. Chanchan Yumnam 
_________________________________

 Fourth Phase: 2012
  1. Imphal West, Imphal East: Khuraijam Jibankumar
  2. Bikaner, Rajasthan: Mr. Dilip Swami
_________________________________
Fifth Phase: 2013
  1. Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal West and Imphal East: Khuraijam Jibankumar
  2. Tulsa, Oklahama, USA: Mrs. Shanti Thokchom  
  3. Washington, USA: Mr. Birjit Ningomba
  4. New York, USA: Mr. Fisher
  5. London, UK: Ms. Annie Khaidem 
  6. Chengdu, China: Ms. Valentina Ningombam 
  7. Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh (India): Mr. Rajiv and Ms. Mary Thangjam 
  8. Bengaluru, Karnataka: Ms. Leika Yumnam, Mr. Harjeet Sinam and Ms. Ema Fatima 
  9. Patna, Bihar: Mr. Sumit Rana

_________________________________

Sixth Phase 
  1. Chandigarh, Punjab: Ms. Irengbam Malemnganbi
  2. Baroda, Gujarat: Ms. Yambem Kripali
  3. Nagpur, Maharashtra: Mr. Khaidem Athouba Meitei
  4. Bhubaneshwar, Orissa: Mr. Santosh Kumar Sethi
  5. Kolkata, West Bengal, Agartala, Tripura and Aizwal, Mizoram

Last Phase
Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishenpur, Churachandpur, Sadar Hills, 
Senapati, Chandel, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Jiribam (Manipur, India)



      Worldwide Save Loktak Lake Campaign is supported by several organisations across the globe. Some of the organsations are listed below.
       
Environ, Guwahati  Indreni Pariwar, South Sikkim World Institute of Nature, Pune
WWF-India I ISTV I NEEYM I Akshara Theatre I IYCN  I  Youth Leader India 
GoNortheast-India.com I Volunteer for Manipur I Rongmei Voice
and
Loktak Development Authority

*NECEER, Imphal request organisation s and individuals to support the campaign by becoming supporter or partner of the campaign. 

For details, please contact:
Khuraijam Jibankumar Singh, Worldwide Campaign Co-ordinator
Email: neceer.imp@gmail.com / info.neceer@gmail.com
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