Context:
Article in The Hindu – On protecting the biodiversity of the northeast.
Re: Cleanliness of Umiam Lake versus State of Meghalaya (2023) case stated that “In the absence of any other employment opportunities and in the name of promoting tourism, the natural beauty of the State should not be destroyed”.
Biodiverse northeast India:
- A green belt region because of abundant natural resources such as oil, natural gas, minerals and fresh water.
- Most important biodiversity hotspots – Garo-Khasi-Jaintia hills, Brahmaputra valley etc.
An environmental assessment of the North East Rural Livelihood Project undertaken by the Ministry of Development of the North-eastern Region lays out that “Northeast India lies within ecologically fragile, biologically rich region, highly prone to climatic changes, located in trans boundary river basins”.
Umiam Lake:
- Also known as Barapani or Big Water
- Main source of water – River Umiam (Confluence of 2 streams Umkhrah and Umshvrpi)
- Projects – Umiam Umtru Hydro Electric Power Project
- Umiam River –
- Origin – Shillong Peak (highest point in Meghalaya)
- Crosses the international border into Bangladesh.
North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS):
- It covers eligible industrial units in the manufacturing and service sectors.
- States – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
- Aim – To promote industrialization and boost employment and income generation.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following is an artificial lake?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu)
(b) Kolleru (Andhra Pradesh)
(c) Nainital (Uttarakhand)
(d) Renuka (Himachal Pradesh)
Answer: (a)
