PRA Initiative Launched to Rejuvenate Barak River Watershed

In a significant move towards ecological restoration and community-led conservation, the Senapati Forest Division has launched Participatory Rural Appraisal exercises as a pilot initiative to rejuvenate the Barak River watershed. The programme aims to combine scientific planning with grassroots participation to restore degraded ecosystems while strengthening local livelihoods.

Pilot PRA Exercise in Senapati District

The PRA exercise was conducted at Saranamai village in Senapati district, which falls within the Barak river catchment area. The initiative involved intensive community engagement to map natural resources, land-use patterns, wealth distribution, and village timelines. Tools such as matrix ranking and SWOT analysis were also used to understand local priorities, vulnerabilities, and opportunities.

Linkage with CAMPA and Policy Planning

Officials said the data generated through the PRA will serve as critical baseline information for preparing a detailed action plan under the new CAMPA scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Senapati Forest Division plans to scale up the exercise across all villages in the Barak watershed to ensure an inclusive and participatory approach to forest and river basin management.

Ecological Significance of the Barak River

The Barak River originates from Liyai Khullen village in Senapati district and holds major ecological, hydrological, and socio-cultural importance. Flowing through Manipur, it enters Assam’s plains and later drains into the Bay of Bengal as the Meghna River in Bangladesh. The Barak basin is part of the larger Ganga–Brahmaputra river system and is the second-largest river basin in North-East India, with key tributaries such as Makru, Irang, and Tuivai.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• The Barak River originates in Senapati district of Manipur.
• The Barak basin is the second-largest river basin in North-East India.
• Participatory Rural Appraisal involves community-based planning tools.
• CAMPA supports forest restoration and compensatory afforestation.

Addressing Environmental Stress Through Community Action

Despite its importance, the Barak basin faces mounting stress from deforestation, forest fires, floods, soil erosion, landslides, and shifting cultivation. Forest officials stressed that these challenges require integrated, multi-tiered interventions led by forestry departments and local communities. The PRA-based approach is expected to guide sustainable watershed rejuvenation, enhance forest cover, reduce land degradation, and improve livelihood opportunities for communities living along the Barak basin.