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Shyamkumar speaking at bamboo workshop in imphal on Friday.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 14 (EMN): Bamboo plantation can be an alternative to jhum cultivation and quality bamboo plantation could help in improving the socio-economic conditions of the many as it is widely used as food and construction materials, said Manipur Forest Minister Shyamkumar.
Speaking at the state-level workshop on “Bamboo Resource and Product Development,” the minister urged the Forest officials to review the status of the trees which were planted in the recent years.
The workshop was organised by the National Bamboo Mission, Manipur under the aegis of the Forest department in Imphal on Friday.
Stating that the National Bamboo Mission (NBM), Manipur is working to get quality planting material and special units to process it and ultimately showcase the final products, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest and Environment) Suhel Akhtar emphasised on the need to grow high quality varieties of bamboo in the state.
Additional PCCF Dr. DD Haokip who is the state mission director of the NBM said Manipur has immense potential for bamboo resource and product development. NBM, Manipur has started establishment of one high tech nursery in Imphal, 10 big nurseries and 5 small nurseries in all the districts of the State to produce quality product material.
He said the work for establishment of primary processing units in Imphal east (Sawombung), Noney, Churachandpur and Tengnoupal, the maximum bamboo growing districts of the state to facilitate supply of raw materials and benefit bamboo growers and artisans.
Kamesh Salam of South Asia Bamboo Foundation, Sanjib Dasgupta of Bajaj Food Processor, Vikash Khemcha of Bamboo Composite and Kailash Patel of Raunuak Engineering, Rajkot were the resource persons of the workshop.
Representatives from NGOs, bamboo artisans and farmers from various parts of the state attended the programme.