Union Environment Ministry constitutes Four-Member team for Conservation of Loktak Lake
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has constituted a four-member team for conservation and management of Loktak Lake in Manipur.
The team will visit Loktak Lake and hold discussions with the State government, its concerned agencies and other stakeholders including people living in the vicinity of the lake.
Terms of reference of team are
- Review implementation of works undertaken with financial assistance provided by Union and State governments so far for the conservation and management of the lake.
- Suggest further interventions required for conserving the lake in a holistic manner.
- Enumerate steps required to be initiated for declaring Loktak Lake as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Identify actions and steps to be taken for increasing tourism potential of Loktak Lake.
About Loktak Lake
- Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is famous for the phumdis floating over it.
- Phumdis are the heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition.
- Keibul Lamjao National Park is also one of Phumdis in the lake. It is only floating national park in world and is last natural refuge of endangered Sangai deer.
- This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for irrigation, drinking water supply and hydropower generation.
- Considering the ecological status and its biodiversity values, Loktak lake was initially designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990.
- Later it was also listed under the Montreux Record in 1993. Human activity has led to severe pressure on the lake ecosystem.
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Month: Current Affairs - November, 2016