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N Biren Singh and Dinabandhu Sahoo during the launching of Cherry Blossom Avenue in Manipur on June 5.[/caption]
Imphal, June 5 (EMN): The Manipur’s Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh launched the Cherry Blossom Avenue at Luwangsangbam in Manipur on the occasion of the World Environment Day (WED) on Tuesday.
The director of the Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo introduced the concept of the Cherry Blossom Avenues. He explained that the cherry blossom generates an economic impact of $400 million in Washington DC in United States of America alone, every year.
Sahoo, who pioneered the concept of Cherry Blossom Festival in India, said, the initiative of IBSD will go a long way to bring Manipur on the global tourist map. This initiative when properly marketed the scenic beauty of the state, it might drive a huge number of tourists and will bring about sustainable development of the state, he remarked.
The chief minister have lauded the initiative of IBSD. Singh said that such plantations will be an important programme to develop a green Manipur through increased plantations. This, he said will integrate with the government’s flagship developmental programmes of ‘go to the hills’ and ‘go to the villages’. He also mentioned that the government is bringing along the masses to develop a movement to ‘beat plastic pollution,’ the theme of this year’s WED.
