The Senapati Forest Division has launched Participatory Rural Appraisal exercises in the Barak River watershed as a pilot initiative to support ecological restoration and improve local livelihoods. The exercise began in Saranamai village in Senapati district, which lies within the Barak catchment area. It is intended to build a community-based baseline for a future action plan under the new CAMPA scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Participatory Rural Appraisal Exercise
The PRA exercise involved direct community participation to assess local natural resources and land-use patterns. It also covered wealth distribution, matrix ranking, village timelines, and SWOT analysis. These tools are used to understand village-level conditions and identify priorities for intervention.
Purpose of the Pilot Initiative
The main objective is to prepare a detailed watershed rejuvenation plan. The data collected will help design measures for forest restoration, land protection, and livelihood support. Officials plan to extend the PRA process to all villages in the Barak watershed to ensure an inclusive approach.
Ecological Importance of the Barak Basin
The Barak River originates at Liyai Khullen village in Senapati district. It flows through Manipur, enters Assam, and eventually joins the Meghna system in Bangladesh before draining into the Bay of Bengal. The basin is part of the greater Ganga–Brahmaputra river system and is the second-largest river basin in North-East India. Major tributaries include Makru, Irang, and Tuivai.
Key Environmental Challenges
The Barak basin faces multiple pressures, including forest fires, floods, riverbank erosion, deforestation, shifting cultivation, soil erosion, landslides, and low public awareness. These factors have weakened both ecological stability and socio-economic prospects. The PRA-based model is expected to support scientific planning and community-led conservation across the watershed.
Last Modified: April 25, 2026