IMPHAL, October 10: Ram Madhop National BJP General Secretary Co-ordination and in-charge North East BJP expressed surprise on witness the ground reality of Loktak Lake`™s condition, although the Centre has sanctioned multi-crores rupees for the development of the lake.
On a visit to Loktak Lake, Thanga and Moirang Loktak Lake Ram Madhop took note of the deteriorating condition of the lake and its environment, and said he was shocked after hearing of various problems, issues and grievances faced by fishermen.
At around 7am morning Ram Madhop took a trip to the lake along with President of BJP Manipur Pradesh Th Chaoba, M Asnikumar General Secretary Administration, L Bashanta Sharma General Secretary Media, Dr RK Ranjan, Retd IAS P Saratchandra and O Malesh President BJYM.
He attended the sixth BJP state executive meeting as chief guest held yesterday and unanimously decided to crack down on the Loktak Lake scandal. He surveyed the Loktak Lake area and directly met and took statements from deprived fishermen of the Lake.
After hearing of the various problems and grievances from fishermen, he said that Loktak Lake is an integral part of Manipur.
He said the lake is vital in bring about development of the Manipur socio-economy, identity and culture. The cultural diversity of the population around the lake and the unique eco-system of the lake must be preserved, he added.
People habiting in and around the Loktak Lake have a big responsibility in any effort to save and conserved the lake and its unique features, he said
He said that government should not compromise or deprive the rights of fishermen. The fishing rights are fundamental rights for fishers who depend on this lake for their livelihoods. So at any cost no one have right to violate this right from fishermen. He added that the BJP is always on the side of innocent fishermen and their welfare.
The BJP led NDA government of Narendra Modi will project this uniquely beautiful fresh water lake as a tourist attractive and put it on the map of world tourism, he promised.
Because this Loktak Lake is also a national asset we need to conserve, protect and manage the resources found in this lake, he reiterated.
Ram Madhop said that local MLA and state leaders are blind and asked if they have no knowledge about the condition of the roads from Moirang to Thanga village.
The condition of this road is the indication of the misgovernance of last 13 years of Congress government, he said.
He said the Keibul Lamjao National Park, home of the unique dancing deer Brow-Antlered Deer, a rare endangers spaces, will be developed with full community involvement.
Ram Madhop left Imphal for New Delhi at around 12:45 pm.