Imphal: The Chandel Forest Division held a World Rivers Day event at Angam Memorial School in Liwachangning. Officials gathered under the theme: No Forests, No River, No Water, No Life. Students, teachers, and staff attended the session to discuss regional water security.
Dr. N. Munal Meitei, the DFO for Chandel, led the program alongside School Principal Dr. Konthang Monshang and Range Forest Officer N. Deepa. Munal highlighted the critical state of local water sources. He told the audience, "Rivers are the arteries of the planet and play a vital role in sustaining life by providing water for drinking, agriculture, livestock and industries."
Pollution risks remain high. Construction, plastic waste, and dam projects choke flow and degrade water quality. Munal cited a National Green Tribunal report listing 18 polluted rivers in Manipur. The Nambul River, along with the Chakpi and Maha rivers in Chandel, currently face severe contamination.
Healthy basins keep the environment stable. Munal pushed the students to act as ambassadors for conservation. He demanded collective action to stop activities that destroy forests. Without standing timber, water supplies will vanish. Protecting the trees remains the only way to safeguard these essential resources for the future.
Updated at 29th September 2026 at 1:49pm
Rivers serve as more than just water sources, acting as lifelines for community history and social memory. In the Ukhrul district, the Tuithā initiative and the environmental group ENFOGAL marked the day at the Lungshang River. During the event, local knowledge keeper Thotya YL Sareng detailed how the river historically powered micro-hydroelectric projects for nearby villages.
Conservationists are shifting focus to the hidden, cumulative damage caused by everyday waste. Beyond plastic, upstream sand mining and routine refuse dumping now choke the river systems. Speakers at the Lungshang event emphasized that these small, frequent acts of pollution degrade the wider ecosystem, urging residents to recognize that river health remains tied to the survival of local heritage.
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