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up on priority basis, most parts of this
wetland will likely be converted to
agricultural farms or for institutional
constructions in the very near future.
This is similarly true of wetlands like
Waithou Pat, Yaralpat, Khamlang Pat,
etc.

The Loktak Lake, a designated Ramsar
site of international importance and
by far the largest freshwater lake
in the northeastern parts of India,
supports a wide variety of life forms
including humans, endangered fauna
and flora, migratory water-bird and
fish population. Whereas, the lake is
today a picture of contrasting profile


  • natural beauty pitted against ageing
    and degradation due to anthropogenic
    influences. The concern of both
    Government and local stakeholders
    is on long term conservation of this
    freshwater lake so that it continues
    sustaining both the human and the
    natural environment. The livelihoods
    of more than one lakh people depend
    entirely on the resources of this lake.
    The survival of the endangered Manipur
    Brow-antlered Deer depends largely
    on how healthy the lake’s ecosystem
    sustains in the years to come.


It is observed in field that in all
aspects there has been a lack of State’s
initiative to provide legal status to the
existing wetlands for their long term
conservation so as to provide different
end benefits, including ecosystem
services and sustainable livelihood for
those families dependent entirely on the
resources of the wetlands. It, therefore,
is imperative that a Governmental
review of the land holding status of
individual families in these wetlands
be conducted at the earliest in order
to prevent further encroachment in
the wetland areas, and subsequently
to chart strategic action plans for their
long term conservation. It absolutely
is also required to determine the actual
boundary of the existing wetlands so
that no further encroachments take
place.

New hopes

Emphasizing the important role of
wetlands in maintaining ecological
balance, a green bench of the Supreme
Court comprising of Justices Madan
B.Lokur and Prafulla C.Pant had in
2017 directed the Government of
India to notify 2,01,503 wetlands in
the country that were identified by the
Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) in 2011 on the basis of
satellite imagery. The Government
of India, in its turn, informed the
Supreme Court that it had formed a
comprehensive scheme of National
Plan for Conservation of Aquatic
Eco-systems (NPCA) for conservation
and restoration of lakes and wetlands.
The Centre informed that the relevant
ministry had identified 115 wetlands
and 63 lakes in 24 states and 2 union
territories for conservation and
management.

The Government of Manipur recently
constituted the Manipur State Wetlands
Authority (MSWA) vide a Gazette
notification on 31st January, 2018
with the expressed priority for saving
and conservation of existing wetlands
in the State. This was in pursuance
of a notification (No.GSR1203(E) of
26th September, 2017) issued by the
Ministry of Environment, Forest &
Climate Change, Government of India
as per the guidelines of the Wetlands
(Conservation and Management)
Rules, 2017. The notification contains
some vital components, such as, (i)
identification of potential wetlands
for their conservation, (ii) listing of
activities to be permitted and regulated
within the notified wetlands, (iii)
defining strategies for conservation
and wise use of wetlands – wise
use being a principle for managing
wetland ecosystems which incorporates
sustainable uses such as capture
fisheries at subsistence level or harvest
of aquatic plants as being compatible
with conservation, and (iv) support
traditional uses of the wetlands which

are harmonized with the ecological
character.

The MSWA is currently in the process
of taking up measures to conserve 23
identified wetlands in the State in order
to restore the ecosystem of these water
bodies to serve different end benefits
including ecosystem services, providing
sustainable livelihood to local people
dependent on the resources of the
wetlands, and to rejuvenate wildlife
population including migratory water-
birds.

Suggestions

The followings are a few suggestions for
the long term conservation of wetlands
that merit conservation on priority
basis, vis-à-vis their present status and
scopes for conservation to enhance
ecosystem services of the wetlands, and
promotion of wetland friendly activities
such as eco-tourism and fishery to
generate revenue and contribute
towards sustainable livelihood of local
people, particularly fishers who depend
solely upon the resources of wetlands
for their living.

Firstly, in the context of gradual losing
of wetlands due to various factors,
it is absolutely necessary to conduct
digital mapping of original boundary
of wetlands and to identify encroachers
through grid mapping. This entails
re-verification of land ownership
documents in areas within the identified
boundary of wetlands. Encroachment
in all forms and physical modification
of the wetlands has to be deterred to
achieve meaningful conservation of the
wetlands.

Secondly, the declaration of wetlands as
protected by law under the provisions
of Wetlands (Conservation and
Management) Rules, 2017 , and
to engage in charting conservation
strategies through local community
participation in the Public Private
Partnership model for meaningful

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