Environment / Manipur

Imphal, July 09: Thanks to the mass deforestation and changing demographic Structure of Manipur, the total forest cover which was once a healthy 67.6 percent of the total area of 22,327 sq kms have now shrunk to only about 50 percent. Disclosing this, a reliable source said that as per the claim of the State Government the area that comes under the Reserved Forest category is 1467 sq kms, Protected Forest 4171 sq kms while 11,780 sq kms are under the other forest. This works out to a total 17,418 sq kms of forest cover. According to information deducted from satellite pictures, Manipur is one...

IMPHAL, July 7 ? The Manipur government in this border and volatile State has taken all measures to fight possible flood menace during this monsoon. A 24-hour irrigation and flood control room has also been opened at the office of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department in the heart of Imphal, recently.

Minister of Irrigation and Flood Control N Mangi also informed that all possible measures have been taken to meet any eventuality of flood. He said ?this should not be taken to mean that no flood will occur. The Department also identified the flood-prone areas and the vulnerable points at...

Imphal, July 06: The Singda Dam Mircro Hydel Power Project which will harness 750 KWs of electricity from the dam is likely to be commissioned in August this year. The cost of the project which was taken up by the IFCD under the Central Electricity Authority has also been revised from the earlier Rs 248 lakhs to Rs 420 lakhs. The project will have three turbines each producing 250 KWs of electricity. IFC Minister N Mangi inspected the project site along with Sekmai AC MLA N Biren today. IFCD Div II Addl Chief Engineer and other officials also accompanied the Minister. The Addl CE K Ibotombi...

Imphal, June 29: Wild elephants could still be roaming around in herds in the thick lush green jungles of the State if evidences detected at a thick jungle covering over 1600 sq kms of land and yet untouched by human intrusion in Senapati and Tamenglong districts near the Nagaland border is any indication. On receiving reports of the new evidences, a team from the State Forest Department visited the place where tell tale signs of the existence of wild elephants were reported. Though the team, which went to conduct a survey, did not come across any of the majestic animals they found foot prints...

Imphal, June 25: The lone zoological garden in the state at Iroishemba is plummeting into a state of decay owing to negligence by the state government. Although the state government had been facing a financial crisis for the last many years, the Centre had uninterruptedly released funds through the state government for the maintenance of the zoo. However, the state government has not made available these central funds for the development or maintenance of the zoo except for bills clearance of contractors supplying fodders and meat for the zoo animals. Even this has not been regular, sources...

Imphal, June 23: The State Government has revised the cost of the Loktak Down Stream Project to be taken up under the Prime Minister's package and reduced the cost of the project by Rs 87.30 crs from the earlier estimated cost of Rs 758.92 crs. The revision was made following an agreement between State Government officials and the Power Secretary, Government of India on May 16. The total cost was reduced to Rs 671.61 crs as per the price index of March this year. The revised project report has been submitted to the Centre. However it is still not clear whether the report has been accepted by...

Imphal, June 12: The modified' MoU draft of Tipaimukh Dam has been handed over to the State Government for further examination. This was announced by Planning Advisor of North Eastern Council (NEC) PL Thanga to a group of reporters at Hotel Pinewood, Shillong recently. It may be recalled here that PL Thanga IAS was earlier the Additional Chief Secretary before he was sent on deputation to the NEC. Earlier, the PR Government under Ved Marwah had submitted a MoU draft on the Tipaimukh Dam to the Centre. The Centre after a thorough perusal recommended some modifications in it. The modified MoU is...

GUWAHATI, June 12 ? Internationally reputed experts on forest resources and scientists have recommended some urgent steps to be taken by North Eastern States to mitigate the ?catastrophic famine? that is likely to hit the region subsequent to ?gregarious flowering of bamboo? predicted to occur during 2005-2007. Scientists have predicted that gregarious flowering of bamboo will occur in an estimated area of 18,000 square kilometre in the States of Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and parts of Assam and Meghalaya during 2005-2007. The epicentre of bamboo flowering will be Mizoram. It is calculated that...

Imphal, June 06: Major construction works on the Khuga multipurpose dam has resumes in full swing from the beginning of this month, with the O Ibobi Singh government giving top priority to its completion, according to the irrigation and flood control minister, Dr N Mangi Singh. According to Dr Mangi, the target for completion of the project has been refixed as the year 2004. He expressed confidence that the project will be commissioned by March 2004, providing irrigation and drinking water and power to the inhabitants of Churachandpur, Saikot and Kumbi assembly constituencies. He said the...

Imphal, May 14: Due to unchecked encroachment and alleged issue of land allotment orders to encroachers by the Settlement and Land Records Department, the original area of the Langol Reserved Forest has been reduced by 50 percent. said a source in the State Forest Department. A large portion of the 7.45 sq kms area of the reserved forest which serves as the "green lungs" of Imphal valley has been occupied by new settlers and the 'forest area' has shrunk to a mere 350 hectares. Besides large scale deforestation of the Langol Hills has been going on, he said. Contending that encroaching and...