Geography
In News:
- After a gap of 33 years, Manasbal Lake is once again open for training drills after raging militancy forced the Navy to abandon it.
- Recently over 100 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, both from J&K and outside, including female cadets, participated in exercises like sailing and boat pulling.
- Such exercises here will motivate locals to join the NCC in the future.
About Manasbal Lake:
- Location: Central Kashmir’s Safapora area in Ganderbal district.
- Features: It’s a freshwater lake with picturesque hills and pristine waters. The Mughal Garden, called the Jaroka Bagh, (meaning bay window) built by Nur Jahan overlooks the lake.
- Biodiversity: The lake is a good place for birdwatching.
- Flora: macrophytes and phytoplankton
- Fauna: zooplankton, benthos and fish
- History: Training in the area was suspended during the inception of militancy in the 1989 and thereby abandoned by the Navy. The NCC has been working in J&K since 1965.
- Issues: Eutrophication (nutrient-induced increase in phytoplankton productivity) and pollution
- Other lakes in Kashmir: Dal Lake, Wular Lake, Tarsar-Marsar Lakes
About NCC:
- It is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces as a Tri-Services Organisation, comprising the Army, the Navy and the Air Force
- Headquarters are in New Delhi, India.
- It is open to school and college students on voluntary basis,
- To develop the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens.
- The emblem of the NCC consists of 3 colours; red, dark blue and light blue representing the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force respectively. The 17 lotuses indicate the 17 directories of India.
Source : The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Q1) Consider the following pairs: (2022)
Wetland/Lake Location
- Hokera Wetland – Punjab
- Renuka Wetland – Himachal Pradesh
- Rudrasagar Lake – Tripura
- Sasthamkotta – Tamil Nadu Lake
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
- Only one pair
- Only two pairs
- Only three pairs
- All four pairs
