Moorhen Yoga Mat Biodegradable yoga mat developed by 6 youn | UPSC PIB NEWS
Moorhen Yoga Mat
Biodegradable yoga mat developed by 6 young girls from Assam may save lakes from water hyacinth menace.
What’s in the News?
◆ Six young girls belonging to the fishing community in the fringes of the Deepor Beel in Assam have developed a biodegradable Yoga mat from water hyacinth.
◆ The Deepor Beel lake has been a source of livelihood for 9 villages of the fishing community who share this biome for centuries, but over the years have suffered from excessive growth and accumulation of water hyacinth.
◆ This innovation could therefore contribute significantly towards the environmental conservation and sustainability of Deepor Beel and also ensure local livelihood.
◆ The mat called ‘Moorhen Yoga Mat’ will soon be introduced to the world market as a unique product.
◆ The mat has been named after Kam Sorai (Purple moorhen, a resident bird of Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary).
Significance:
◆ Considering all aspects of water hyacinth’s properties and the functional requirements of a product like a mat, a hand-woven 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable mat to be used for doing Yoga was ideated as a means to provide multiple ecological and social benefits.
◆ The mat developed through fibre processing and technological interventions could improve the aquatic ecosystem of the wetland through the removal of water hyacinth.
◆ It will also help in the sustainable production of utility products with community engagement and generate of livelihood for indigenous communities to become completely ‘Atamanirbhar’.
◆ The intervention was triggered through an initiative by North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), an autonomous body under Department of Science & Technology (DST) to involve the entire women community associated with a collective called ‘Simang’, led by the 6 girls to create wealth from water hyacinth plants.
About Deepor Beel:
◆ It is a permanent freshwater lake in the southwest of Guwahati city, recognised as a Ramsar Site and a bird wildlife sanctuary.
◆ It is the only wetland in Assam designated as a site of importance for “conservation and sustainable use” under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
◆ The landscape of Deepor Beel, a riverine wetland in Kamrup district in the lower Brahmaputra valley, is dynamic, holding attraction for ornithologists, wildlife biologists and environmentalists.
◆ It is also a grooming site for bird enthusiasts as it sustains over 200 species of birds, including about 70 species of migratory birds.
◆ It is known for its fish and bird diversity and rich aquatic vegetation that attracts wild elephants.
◆ However, it faces conservation threats from garbage dumping, quarrying, a railway line, etc.
#GS3 #Environment
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