Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in India famous for many heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition floating over it, locally called as the phumdis. The etymology of Loktak is Lok ‘stream’ and tak ‘the end’. The largest of all the phumdis covers an area of 40 sq km and is situated on the southeastern shore of the Lake.
The Loktak Lake is spread across the area of 236.21 sq km. Every year on the 15th of October in Manipur at the periphery of Loktak Lake, the Loktak Day is observed to celebrate its uniqueness. The Keibul Lamjao National Park is the only floating National Park in the world located on a phumdi at Loktak Lake. This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. It is also the source of livelihood for the rural fishermen who live in the surrounding areas. The famous Sendra Island is also located at Loktak Lake. From Sendra Island the visitors get a bird’s eye view of life on the Loktak Lake on small islands that are actually floating weeds associated with which are various aspects of life of the local inhabitants. Many local, exotic and migratory birds can be sighted at this lake. It is a birder’s paradise.
A day spent at Loktak Lake is a lifetime of memory and is a must visit place for biodiversity lovers. Within the lake and on its periphery, there are 14 hills of varying size and elevation. However, the Loktak Lake and its precincts have faced serious problems due to loss of vegetal cover in the catchment area and construction of Ithai barrage at the outlet of the lake for multipurpose development of water resources. Further, the degradation of the catchment area has occurred. Deforestation and shifting cultivation in the catchment areas have accelerated the process of soil erosion resulting in the lake’s shrinkage due to siltation. Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/loktak-lake-an-incredible-natural-marvel
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