Imphal: Oinam Lukhoi Singh, Manipur Tourism Minister, had called for concerted efforts in restoring the Nambul river back to its pristine form at an awareness campaign organised under the theme, "Save Our Rivers, Save Our Soul," on December 8.
The Tourism Minister spoke on the importance of the Nambul river and how it could become a tourist hotspot if it is restored. The river runs across Imphal west and passes through the main bazaar of Imphal in Manipur.
"When the river reaches Imphal city, particularly the Khwairamband Bazaar area, it becomes dirtier. As the city grows, residents and shop owners throw solid waste and garbage into it, thereby polluting it," said Minister Singh.
Addressing the gathering as Chief Guest, Minister Singh stated Nambul is one of the most important rivers in Manipur which is much associated with the history of the state.
He urged everyone to dispose of their garbage at designated places issued by the Imphal Municipal Council.
The river starts from the Kangchup hill range and flows into Loktak Lake, which is considered as one of the most popular tourist attractions in Manipur. The water is comparatively clean before it enters into Imphal area, particularly the Khwairamband bazaar.
The minister also said that as the population is growing in and around Imphal city, more and more liquid and solid wastes such as domestic garbage and wastes from shops, hotels and commercial establishments are generated and thrown into the river.
Minister Lukhoi expressed that under the supervision of Manipur CM N. Biren Singh, the government is committed to promoting tourism sectors in many parts of the state with a view to attracting more tourists from different parts of the world.
He also highlighted the various ongoing projects taken up by the Tourism Department of Manipur. The development of Loktak Eco-Tourism is one of them.
The awareness campaign was organised by Apunba Manipur Matam Ishei Kanglup (AMMIK) and was sponsored by the Tourism Department of Manipur.