SENDRA, FEBRUARY 24, 2018 (DIPR): Forest and Environment Minister Shri Thounaoujam Shyamkumar today launched a floating research laboratory of Institute of Bio resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) at the Loktak Lake, Sendra. The mobile laboratory will be used for monitoring the eco-system of the Loktak Lake.
Speaking to media persons, Minister Th. Shyamkumar said the floating research laboratory will help in checking the water quality of the Loktak Lake. Stating that Loktak Lake has been polluted by various reasons, he said scientists can do their research including making organic compost from phumdis. He said scientists are also working on alcohol extraction from a special variety of grass.
He said the State Government’s role will be collaborating and supporting with the Central Government to save the environment and eco-system in and around Loktak Lake. He said the findings of the research will be used by the departments under him to take up necessary steps. IBSD will hand over the collected data to the Loktak Development Authority (LDA), as part of the mission to save the lake. The collected data will guide the scientists of IBSD in research, he added.
Th. Shyamkumar who also holds the MAHUD portfolio said the department will complete the survey this month regarding possible/strategic areas for installation of toilets. He said the department will install toilets by April-May in the areas covering all the urban local bodies. Mobile bio toilet will be installed at the Loktak Lake area to ease the problems of the public and tourists, he added.
Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, Director, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), informed the media persons that IBSD took 4 months to build the boat, which will operate 24X7 covering the entire lake. He said a water quality machine is installed inside the boat which will collect necessary data to check the deteriorating eco-system of Loktak Lake. Stating that last data of the lake was collected in 2001, he said the machine has provision to check the temperature, chemical composition among others.
The boat is made with the materials collected from the State with sitting capacity of 20-30 people. He was concerned over the ‘phumdi’ kept on the roadside stating that it is highly dangerous for the lake as rain will disintegrate it.
He informed that IBSD scientists have successfully extracted alcohol from a particular grass found in the lake and are in the process for commercializing. He said the process is going on upscaling it with the Indian Institute of Petroleum.
Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi attended the function as special guest along with Shri T Robindro, MLA Thanga A/C, Shri M. Ashinikumar, Vice Chairman MIDA, Shri Longjam Bhagaton, Director LDA and students and staffs of IBSD.
Later Minister Th. Shyamkumar also inspected the surrounding areas and interacted with the department officials for possible developments to be taken up by the departments under him.
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