The Senapati Forest Division has recently launched Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises as a pilot initiative to rejuvenate the Barak River watershed, while simultaneously strengthening local livelihoods in the region.
About the Barak River
The Barak River is a major river of Northeast India, flowing through the states of Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam before entering Bangladesh. It is the second-largest river in Northeast India, after the Brahmaputra.
Source and Course
The Barak River originates in the Manipur Hills, south of Mao in the Senapati district of Manipur, at an elevation of about 2,331 metres.
From its source, the river flows along the Nagaland–Manipur border through hilly terrain and then enters Assam.
In Assam, the river forms the Barak Valley, which includes the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj, constituting the southernmost part of the state.
Just before entering Bangladesh, the Barak splits into two distributaries—the Surma River and the Kusiyara River. These rivers later merge to form the Meghna River, which flows southward, joins the Padma River, and ultimately drains into the Bay of Bengal.
Length and Basin
The Barak River has a total length of about 900 kilometres, of which 524 kilometres lie in India, including a significant stretch along the Indo–Bangladesh border.
The Barak River basin, formed by the river and its tributaries, drains parts of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
In India, the basin extends across Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland.
Physiographic Boundaries of the Basin
The Barak basin is:
Bounded by the Barail Range in the north, separating it from the Brahmaputra basin
Enclosed by the Naga and Lushai Hills to the east
Bordered by the Mizo Hills and Bangladesh to the south and west
The entire basin lies within the Eastern Himalayan agro-climatic zone.
Land Use and Agriculture
A major portion of the Barak basin is forest-covered. Due to the hilly terrain, terrace farming is widely practised in the region.
Tributaries of the Barak River
The principal tributaries of the Barak River include the Jiri, Chiri, Modhura, Jatinga, Harang, Dhaleswari, Singla, Longai, Sonai, and Katakhal rivers.
Dams and Hydropower Projects
The major dams associated with the Barak River basin are:
Khoupum Dam
Mawphlang Dam
Gumti Hydro Dam
Myntdu–Leshka Dam
National Waterway Status
A 121-kilometre stretch of the Barak River between Lakhipur and Bhanga in Assam has been declared National Waterway–16 by the Government of India.
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In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
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