Loktak Lake: Owning The Only Floating National Park Across Globe

Located near Moirang, in Manipur state, India, this 'Loktak Lake' is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India. This lake is 13km wide and 35km long, yes its that hugely spread.

What this lake comprises of?
Besides the freshwater, the 'Phumdis' are known to cover a substantial part of the lake area. 'Phumdis' are nothing but decomposed plant materials that floats over water. They are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil, and organic matter in their different stages of decay. The mass of lush green Phumdis is packed up below the lake surface like icebergs.

Phumdis comes with benefits to locals who use it for constructing their huts, chasing fish along with other life sustaining uses.

(Picture Source: dailypost.in)

Part of this lake makes up for KEIBUL LAMJAO National Park. This serves as the last natural refuge to the endangered Sangai, Brown-antlered deer(which is native to the state), and one of the three subspecies of Eld's deer.

The lake has flourished its ecosystem of its own sustaining favorable conditions for around 230 species of aquatic plants, more than 100 species of birds and about 425 species of fauna.

Sustaining lives around:

(Picture source: www.travelkida.com)

People have built their shelters on the islands made up of Phumdis. Lifeline to fishermen, source for irrigation and hydropower,one can spot more than 3000 fishermen who reside in their huts built on Phumdis. What's more? You can spot world's first floating school right here as well! Seems like Phumdis are soil for these people.

What's troubling this place?
Phumdis take this lake to global level yet its beauty is unexplored by most of the tourists visiting Northeast. The landscape of the lake keep changing due to dam activity placed there. Water level remains high and doesn't allow Phumdis to sink making them nutrient deficit.

Furthermore, with several rivers paving their way to this lake, polluted slit has just shaken things polluted here.

(Picture source: toistudent.timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Due to volatile conditions brewing in this place between Indian Army and several rebel groups, tourism activity seems to be in its downturn. Possibly, it is believed tourism awareness for this place may spruce this place up for better developed tourism friendly place.

It's a beauty of the 'Loktak Lake' brimming with being the largest freshwater lake in North East India and shimmering blue waters with colorful water plants making up sets of small islands that gives it an edge among any other lake across the world.