Conserve wetlands, exhorts Governor

By Our Staff Reporter
Imphal, Feb 2: Governor La Ganesan has said that all out 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, Bishnupur district today.
The Governor said, the significance of observing the day is to make all aware about the importance of wetlands.
He said wetlands play an important role in balancing the environment, thereby enabling many living beings including human beings to survive.
Many resources which are important for living beings are provided by the wetlands, he said.
However many degrading and disrupting activities have been affecting the normal ecology of the wetlands causing ecological imbalance and climate change. All disruptive activities like encroachment should be checked, he said.
On the conservation of Loktak lake, the Governor said, Government alone cannot conserve the lake.
He said, all stakeholders including NGOs and people should cooperate with each other and help the Government 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 that 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 the same have been taken up.
He further said that proposals have been sent to the Environment Ministry and four wetlands will be developed in the first phase.
Citing the importance of wetlands, he appealed to all the people to take a firm solution to conserve wetlands in the State.
T 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 Loktak Lake and 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.