The Endgame

Lok Tak lake, a lifeline for 60 percent of the state’s population, is in a state of decadence. Environmental degradation, increasing pressure of development and lack of oversight to use this crucial resource are killing the lake. In the process fermenting a livelihood conflict among the lake-dependent people. The gorging hydro power station is a reminder that the lake is undergoing a change in its use. For ages the lake naturally sustains people using its unique ecology. People evolved their livelihoods based on this ecology. Generating electricity from the lake means diverting its water for other uses. It also means virtually blocking a major part of the lake to store water. It changed the unique ecology. Environmental degradation through encroachment, doing more of floating agriculture and dumping of human wastes have choked the lake. It is silting up fast. In the process, it also impacting on the hydro power generation as water storage comes down. To maintain minimum water storage the power station demands more water. This created a conflict. Lok Tak suffers our ignorance. Bad environmental planning and scant regards for our ecological heritage have created the crisis. We need to take the leapfrog.