Bharat 2027 Series

Strategising  Innovation  for removing Invasive Species    There are stories galore on how State agencies, and scientists, are devising innovative strategies in encouraging people to participate in the removal of invasive alien species of fishes and plants from the terrestrial landscapes and the traditional waters around the world. United States Experience See this story from Florida in the United States. A report posted on 19 October earlier this week, says Florida organized a massive Lionfish hunt during the annual Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Lionfish Challenge, drawing 533 enthusiastic registered participants. Water Hyacinth Crowding Utra Pat Wetland — Kabo-kang Na Thingjillaba Pat At the conclusion of the competition, which ran from 22 May up to 14 September earlier this year, the participants dived into the sea to remove 36,187 invasive lionfish from Florida's state waters.The divers, logging 1,468 dive trips, broke the record catch of 30,0...

Manipur's Wild West Scenario Is Destroying Social Security By Salam Rajesh Women of Manipur demand peace, but not at the cost of their survival. Photo: Facebook/Public Manipur today is living under a dark cloud. No one can say clearly who is protecting the people, and where social security has gone, especially for the most vulnerable people living where the valley meets the hills.The violence unleashed by suspected Kuki armed groups is tearing apart the social fabric of different communities in the State. It looks pre-planned and calculated, to divide people and to push a certain political objective. Many fingers are pointing towards the demand for autonomy.Whatever the objective of the militants may be, one question remains troubling. Where do the elected representatives of the Kuki community stand? They are part of a governance system bound by the Constitution of India. In particular, people are asking about the position of the Deputy Chief Minister who represents the Kangpokpi A...

Smoke Over the Hills: The Human Cost of Conflict in Manipur   Title: Manipur in the Crossfire: Why Ordinary Lives Are Paying the Price for Geopolitics Villagers look on as smoke rises from homes reduced to cinders in the hills, capturing the stark reality of ongoing unrest and border vulnerabilities . The situation in Manipur has become a harrowing reality for its residents, who live in constant fear that everyday activities, such as visiting a neighbouring village or gathering firewood, could lead to violence or death. Despite political leaders acknowledging the delicacy of the situation, their reassurances do little to comfort citizens when violence erupts in their communities. Incidents like the tragic killing of three woodcutters in the Khongbal hills (situated in the foothills near the border of the Imphal East district near Nongsum and the Khamenlok area) and the brutal murders of Naga civilians illustrate the alarming vulnerability of ordinary people. Further, entire distric...

Manipur's Demographic Instability: Why NRC Must Come Before Census 2026 Author: Salam Rajesh Manipur Map Introduction: The Heart of the Debate For the past few years, Manipur's population debate has moved to centre stage. It is no longer just about numbers, but about the geopolitical future of the state. With the decadal census already delayed, indigenous communities are raising a critical question: Can we count heads before we know who is living in the state? The demand is clear - implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur with 1951 as the base year, before the census. The Evidence on the Ground: Unaccounted Settlements Concern is not without basis. 1.   Forests Under Encroachment: An exercise by the State Forest Department to assess protected areas, especially reserved forests, revealed a startling fact. Since 1980, dozens of satellite hamlets have sprung up inside reserved forests without permission from the forest department or state administration. Satell...

Manipur: The Jewel of the East - History, Culture and Why It Is Called So 2026 Abstract Author: Maibam Donna, PhD Scholar,  Centre for Study of Social Inclusion, Manipur University,  Researcher and Author of several journal articles  and book chapters on Northeast India Manipur, a small state in India's Northeast that shares a 398 km international border with Myanmar, is habitually framed in national discourse through the lens of conflict, insurgency, remoteness, and underdevelopment. Such framing, while not without empirical basis, is profoundly incomplete. It obscures a reality that is far more complex and far more promising. This essay takes a deliberately different approach. It undertakes a systematic appraisal of Manipur's positive endowments—its globally significant ecology, its exceptionally long political and cultural history, its classical and folk performing arts that have attained national and UNESCO recognition, its distinctive and historically deep-rooted gen...