Background
Loktak Lake lies in the Bishnupur district of Manipur, 48 kms from Imphal City.
It is the largest fresh water lake in the North-East India.
Visitors get a bird's eye view of the lake from Sendra.
Fishermen live on floating islands called Phumdis, in floating huts known as Phumsangs.
Boating and other water sports are organised at the Takmu Water Sports Complex.
The Sendra Tourist Home with an attached cafeteria stands beside the lake.
District:
Bishnupur
Distance from Imphal City:
48 kms
Floating islands:
Phumdis
Why it matters for exams: Loktak's phumdis and its position as the Northeast's largest freshwater lake are standard geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Keibul Lamjao National Park is located on the Loktak Lake in Manipur.
It is the only floating National Park in the world.
It is the last natural habitat of the Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii), the dancing deer of Manipur.
Other wildlife in the park includes hog deer, otter and a host of water fowls.
Migratory birds are usually sighted from November to March.
The Forest Department of Manipur maintains watch towers and two rest houses within the park.
Location:
On the Loktak Lake
Flagship species:
Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii)
Migratory bird season:
November to March
Why it matters for exams: The world's only floating national park and the Sangai's habitat are repeatedly asked in environment sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Manipur is the home of the brow-antlered deer called Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii), one of the endangered deer species in the world.
It is now available only in the Keibul Lamjao National Park of the State and is also called the Manipur Dancing Deer.
The Sangai was declared extinct in 1951 and then re-discovered at Keibul Lamjao in 1953.
The first census of Sangai, conducted in 1975, counted 14 heads only.
The Forest Department took the initiative in 1975 and notified Keibul Lamjao National Park in 1977.
As per the 2016 ground census, the population of Sangai has reached 260.
Declared extinct:
1951
Re-discovered:
1953
First census count:
14 heads
2016 ground census:
260
Why it matters for exams: The extinction-rediscovery sequence and the census figures of the Sangai are precise, frequently asked facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The forest and tree cover of Manipur is 77.20 % of the State's total geographical area.
Around 8.42 % of the total forest area is under Reserved Forests, including the Wildlife Protected Area Network.
23.95 % is Protected Forests and the rest belong to the category of Un-classed Forests.
About 82 % of the State's forest cover is in the Manipur hills.
Manipur has a valley located at the centre surrounded by hills on all sides, and many rivers and streams originate in those hills.
The State also falls in Seismic Zone V.
Forest and tree cover:
77.20 %
Reserved Forests:
8.42 %
Protected Forests:
23.95 %
Seismic zone:
Zone V
Why it matters for exams: Manipur's forest cover percentage and its hill-valley topography are standard statistics questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Forest Department has established a Protected Area Network over about 3.7 % of the total geographical area of Manipur.
The network is created through notifications of National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves.
Shirui National Park is in Ukhrul District.
Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary is in Tengnoupal District and Kailam Wildlife Sanctuary is in Churachandpur District.
Jiri-Makru, Bunning and Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuaries are all in Tamenglong District.
The Department enforces the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Protected Area Network:
About 3.7% of geographical area
Sanctuaries in Tamenglong:
Jiri-Makru, Bunning, Zeilad
Shirui National Park:
Ukhrul District
Why it matters for exams: Matching Manipur's sanctuaries to their districts is a common map-and-list question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Manipur attained statehood on January 21, 1972 under the North-East Area (Re-organisation) Act 1971.
Before that, the Territorial Council was abolished and Manipur was placed under a Chief Commissioner from May 11, 1963 onwards.
In that period it had a Territorial Legislative Assembly and a Council of Ministers to assist the Chief Commissioner.
Manipur had merged into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, after which it became a centrally administered area.
It remained centrally administered till October 31, 1956.
During the British regime the Maharaja appointed the functionaries of the state under the Rules of Management of the State of Manipur, enforced on September 14, 1935.
Statehood:
January 21, 1972
Enabling Act:
North-East Area (Re-organisation) Act 1971
Merger with Indian Union:
October 15, 1949
Why it matters for exams: Manipur's statehood date and the parent Act of 1971 are directly asked in polity and history papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Under Article 315(4) of the Constitution, the Union Public Service Commission agreed to function as the Public Service Commission of the State of Manipur till October 21, 1972.
On October 3, 1972 the Governor of Manipur issued the order of constitution of the Manipur Public Service Commission under Article 318, with one Chairman and two Members.
Shri B.K. Nehru, Governor of Manipur, inaugurated the office of the Commission on October 23, 1972 at the Gandhi Memorial Hall, Imphal.
Chief Minister Shri Alimuddin presided over the function.
Shri G.B.K. Hooja, MA, IAS was the inaugural Chairman of the Commission.
Shri Karam Gourakishore Singh was the first Secretary of the Manipur Public Service Commission.
Constitution order:
October 3, 1972 under Article 318
Inaugurated by:
Governor Shri B.K. Nehru
Inaugural Chairman:
Shri G.B.K. Hooja, MA, IAS
Venue:
Gandhi Memorial Hall, Imphal
Why it matters for exams: Articles 315(4) and 318 and the UPSC standing in for a new State's PSC are classic polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
During the British regime the Maharaja used to appoint the functionaries of the state of Manipur.
The Rules of Management of the State of Manipur, enforced on September 14, 1935, empowered the Maharaja to appoint the members of the Durbar.
A British Officer acted as the President of the Durbar.
After independence, the Manipur State Constituent Act 1947 provided for a Manipur State Appointment Board as the final authority in all matters of appointments and promotions.
After the merger with the Indian Union, the Chief Commissioner became the appointing authority, subject to the control of the Central Government.
The Manipur Public Service Commission was inaugurated in October 1972.
Rules of Management enforced:
September 14, 1935
Appointment Board provided by:
Manipur State Constituent Act 1947
MPSC inaugurated:
October 1972
Why it matters for exams: The Durbar, the 1947 Manipur State Constituent Act and the Chief Commissioner phase map Manipur's administrative history.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Manipur Forest Department attributes the state's biological richness to its location at the junction of two of the world's hotspots of biodiversity, the Indo-Myanmar hotspot and the Himalayan hotspot. Out of 34 hotspots across the globe, India has four, and of those four Manipur has two, the Himalayan and the Indo-Burma hotspot. The department records about 4,000 angiosperms, 1200 medicinal plants, 34 species of edible fungi, about 500 orchids, 55 species of bamboo, 695 birds, 160 fish species and 21 migratory aquatic birds in the state.
hotspots across the globe:
34
India:
four
angiosperms:
about 4,000
orchids:
about 500
birds:
695
Why it matters for exams: Hotspot geography and the count of India's biodiversity hotspots are standard questions, and Manipur holding two of the four is the detail examiners ask for.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The Forest Department of Manipur records that the forests of the State have 6 major Forest Types and 10 Subtypes. The major forest types are Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest, Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, Sub-Tropical Pine Forest, Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest, Montane Wet Temperate Forest and Sub-alpine Forest. The department's stated mission includes conserving dense forest cover, increasing the density of open forests and increasing the Protected Area Network.
major Forest Types:
6
Subtypes:
10
Why it matters for exams: Forest type classification is a recurring geography question, and the six types listed for Manipur show how sharply vegetation changes with altitude in the Northeast.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Loktak Development Authority of Manipur is the body responsible for the conservation and sustainable management of Loktak Lake and its associated wetlands. Its official website records a lake area of 287 sq. km, states that 6.8% of the Manipur River Basin is wetlands, and that 100k+ people depend on the lake and wetlands. The Authority describes Loktak as the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, home to the world's unique floating phumdis ecosystem, and a Ramsar site of international importance.
Lake area:
287 sq. km
Of Manipur River Basin is wetlands:
6.8%
People depend on the lake & wetlands:
100k+
Why it matters for exams: Wetland authorities and Ramsar sites are asked about together, and the 287 sq. km figure with the phumdi ecosystem is the pairing examiners use.
Kerala PSCUPSC