Imphal, September 3: One Manipur pony was found lying dead at Lamphel Sanakeithel by Shanker Talkis in Imphal West while many of them are seen on the street as if there are no authority to save the animal that gave birth to the world famous game of Polo.
People who happened to pass by the dead pony lamented asking where has the authority gone. Some say what has happened to the policies and projects set in the name of saving Pony.
This was not the first people witness ponies found is such a manner.
Grazing grounds and pony farms were projected at Lamphel in Imphal West, Heingang in Imphal East and at Tingkhai Khunou. However, the everyday episode of the ponies grazing at garbage sites, sleeping on the streets and run over them by vehicles and dead scenes shows the failure of projects on ponies. “Every one is proud to see the banner at the Imphal Polo ground embedded–We gave the world the game of polo, however we are socked to witness the pony suffering ”, Ratan Luwang, a resident of Imphal told Pothashang.
Those people who see money in Pony will remember pony when the Sangai festival’s international polo tournament arrives, said Ratan.
According to Department of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Services, Manipur report made fund provisions of Rs 16 lakh in the budgets 2010-14 under the detailed head – salaries, office expenses, domestic travel expenses and other charges, for two fodder farms that became non-operational since 2005.
The government had sanctioned Rs. 2 crore some years ago for a pony farm at Tingkhai Khunnou in Senapati district. The farm was however dimmed.
There were 1,893 pony population in 2003 which was decreased to 1,218 in 2007. The statics had drastically reduced to less than 500 in 2014.
The Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association, Manipur Polo Society and other polo clubs have been demanding to announce Manipuri Pony as endangered species. If a certain kind of species has population lower than 2000, it could be termed as an endangered species.
The Okram Ibobi government in November last year approved The Manipur Pony Conservation Nad Development policy and issued a gazette. However, no funds were sanctioned.
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