‘We can buy bullets, not water’: Manipur Deputy CM Losii Dikho calls for forest, spring conservation

Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho has stressed that protecting water sources and forests must take precedence over land disputes and political aspirations, warning that the degradation of forests is contributing to the drying up of springs across the state.

Dikho made the remarks while addressing the second conclave on Climate-Resilient Springshed: Research, Practice and Policy in Imphal. The conclave was organised by the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change to bring together researchers, planners, practitioners, government departments and community stakeholders to discuss strategies for climate-resilient springshed management in the Indian Himalayan Region.

Referring indirectly to the ongoing conflict in Manipur, Dikho said that while people may continue to fight over land and political aspirations, the protection of water sources should remain a priority.

“Many forest areas are degraded, which has resulted in the loss of springs in Manipur. We can buy bullets, but we cannot buy water if its sources completely dry up. We should give greater emphasis to the conservation of forests and springs,” he said.

Dikho highlighted the importance of water as a life-sustaining resource, the foundation of the agricultural economy and an integral part of cultural heritage. He also underlined the ecological interdependence of Manipur’s hills, forests, wetlands, rivers and valleys, stressing the need to protect water sources through sustained conservation efforts.

The conclave brought together delegates from several Himalayan states, including Sikkim, Meghalaya and Assam, along with officials from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal, and the Advanced Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM).

Addressing the gathering, Arun Kumar Sinha, Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, said the Manipur government had published the first version of Springs of Manipur in 2025.

The publication includes an inventory of springs, mapping of critical springs and hydrogeological studies of springs across different districts of the state, he said.

Sinha said springshed management needed to move beyond isolated conservation activities and become an integral part of the state’s water security, ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation strategies.

He identified strengthening the scientific evidence base as a key priority, including the systematic inventory of springs in vulnerable areas. Such assessments, he said, should document seasonal variations, discharge patterns, water quality, the populations dependent on the springs and their vulnerability to human activities.

Sinha also called for the development of an integrated springshed management framework for Manipur. The framework would establish common principles for identifying critical springsheds and preparing scientific management plans to guide conservation and restoration efforts.

The discussions at the conclave focused on the need to combine scientific research, policy planning and community participation to protect springs and improve water security across the Indian Himalayan Region