Lok Sabha Question No. 1485 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-27
Subject: Flood around Loktak Lake
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Raju Bista

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA

Unstarred Question No. 1485

To be answer on

Wednesday, November 27, 2019/Agrahayana 6,1941(Saka)

## QUESTION Flood around Loktak Lake

## 1485. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will    the  Minister  of    DEVELOPMENT  OF  NORTH  EASTERN  REGION  be pleased to state:

- a) the steps taken by the Government to address the plight of the farmers who have continued  to  suffer  due  to  their  several  thousand  hectares  of  agricultural  land around the Loktak Lake (Manipur) getting flooded due to Ithai Barrage;
- b) the steps taken by the Government for the upkeep of the ecological integrity of the KeibulLamjao  National  Park  situated  in  Loktak  Lake  in  Manipur,  which  is  the world's only floating wildlife sanctuary; and
- c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  conserve  Sangai  -  the  State  animal  of Manipur, whose habitat the phumdis are fast disappearing due to the Ithai Barrage Hydro Project?

## ANSWER

## The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development ofNorth Eastern Region

## [Dr. Jitendra Singh]

- a) As per details received from the Govt. of Manipur, main cause of flood in Manipur valley particularly in the Loktak Sub basin is attributed due to the natural gigantic rocky barrier known as Sugnu Hump in the downstream of Ithai Barrage which restricts the flow condition of Manipur river causing backwater effect on the upstream reach of river. Government  of  Manipur  has  proposed  for  preparation  of  a  Master  plan  to  the Brahmaputra  Board  for  dredging  or  resectioning  of  the  river  downstream  of  Ithai Barrage for mitigation or control of flood.
- b) The  steps  taken  up  by  the  Government  of  Manipur  for  the  upkeep  of  the KeibulLamjao National Park situated in Loktak Lake in Manipur, include improvement of overall  habitat  conditions  and  protection  measures;enhanced  involvement  of  local community  /stakeholders' participation in conservation efforts;skill development, capacity building of frontline field staff posted in the National Park periodically; research

and monitoring of habitat of National Park for detection of change in the natural habitat; cutting  of  channel,  controlled  burning  &  fire  line  cutting  and  eradication  of  unwanted invasive plant species and other weeds within the park; and control of Phumdi movements by providing bamboo trusses etc.

c) A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with Wildlife Institute of  India  for  implementing  the  project  "Conservation  action  plan  for  Manipur's  browantlered  deer  or  Sangai:  An  integrated  approach",  under  the  Endangered  Species Recovery  Programme  of  Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate  Change, Government  of  India.  Other  steps  include-  an  integrated  management  Plan  for KeibulLamjaoNational Park; training of Frontline field staff and local youths on habitat and population monitoring exercise was conducted;population and genetic monitoring of  the  existing  Sangai population is being carried out periodically; disease monitoring of livestock around the Park apart from Sangai and hog deer is being done from time to time; and an Action Plan for conservation  breeding  has  been prepared i n consultation with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, USA and National Institute for Animal Health, Baghpat etc.

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