Opinion Piece
Polluted Nambul river devastates fish and humans:
Manipur's Nambul river's role in the context of maintaining the climatic conditions of Manipur cannot be ignored as it directly falls into the Loktak lake - the largest fresh water lake in North East India, which plays a vital role in controlling the ecological balance of the region.
But urbanization and taking up of various developmental projects in other parts of the state have started showing its fangs - the most palpable being the pollution of the Nambul River running through the city.
The river becomes polluted once it starts entering Imphal's main market area. The most polluted part of the river in its 10 kilometre stretch in Imphal city begins from Hump Bridge until it reaches Keishamthong bridge - a distance of almost 1.5 km.
Nambul river has now become not only the most polluted river in the state but also a model river of pollution in Manipur.
During the wet season, solid waste - tons of toxic material - are being carried down by the current of the river from Imphal city. Every year, at the beginning of rainy season, lumps of waste material, including empty plastic bottles, plastic bags, thermo coal, unused plastic products, and dead bodies of animals from Imphal city, are carried down to the Loktak Lake by the current of the water.
This process threatens all life in the lake. As the Lake water is contaminated, the life span of many aquatic plants as well as fresh water fishes has been reduced. Many indigenous fresh water fishes of the region have disappeared already.
As a result, delicious Pengba (osteobrama belangeri) fish which was once abundantly available in Loktak lake and Nambul river has become extinct. Dr A G K Menon of Zoological Survey of India Madras in his report on Conservation and Management of Inland capture fisheries Resources of India clearly points out that imported common carp are replacing Pengba in Manipur.
Full Story:
Manipur's Nambul river's role in the context of maintaining the climatic conditions of Manipur cannot be ignored as it directly falls into the Loktak lake - the largest fresh water lake in North East India, which plays a vital role in controlling the ecological balance of the region.
But urbanization and taking up of various developmental projects in other parts of the state have started showing its fangs - the most palpable being the pollution of the Nambul River running through the city.
The river becomes polluted once it starts entering Imphal's main market area. The most polluted part of the river in its 10 kilometre stretch in Imphal city begins from Hump Bridge until it reaches Keishamthong bridge - a distance of almost 1.5 km.
Nambul river has now become not only the most polluted river in the state but also a model river of pollution in Manipur.
During the wet season, solid waste - tons of toxic material - are being carried down by the current of the river from Imphal city. Every year, at the beginning of rainy season, lumps of waste material, including empty plastic bottles, plastic bags, thermo coal, unused plastic products, and dead bodies of animals from Imphal city, are carried down to the Loktak Lake by the current of the water.
This process threatens all life in the lake. As the Lake water is contaminated, the life span of many aquatic plants as well as fresh water fishes has been reduced. Many indigenous fresh water fishes of the region have disappeared already.
As a result, delicious Pengba (osteobrama belangeri) fish which was once abundantly available in Loktak lake and Nambul river has become extinct. Dr A G K Menon of Zoological Survey of India Madras in his report on Conservation and Management of Inland capture fisheries Resources of India clearly points out that imported common carp are replacing Pengba in Manipur.
Full Story:
Comments