Moorhen Yoga Mat

Why in news?

• Six young girls from the fishing community in Assam have developed a unique biodegradable yoga mat, called as Moorhen Yoga Mat.

About Moorhen Yoga Mat

• It is a hand woven fully biodegradable yoga mat made from water hyacinth.
• It comes in a cotton canvas cloth bag where no zip or metal closures are used and also has has adjustable strap and closures.
• The ‘Moorhen Yoga mat’ is named after Kam Sorai/ Purple moorhen, a resident bird of Deepor Beel Wildlife sanctuary.
• The mat was developed through fiber processing and technological interventions could improve the aquatic ecosystem of the wetland through removal of water hyacinth.

About water hyacinth plant:

• It is an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin, and is a disruptive invasive species outside its native range.
• When not controlled, water hyacinth will cover waterbodies entirely affecting water flow and eventually replaces native plants through competition.

Prelims Question:

Moorhen Yoga mat, recently in news is from the state of:
(a)Assam
(b)Mizoram
(c)Himachal Pradesh
(d)Gujarat

Answer to Prelims question