Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 25 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh led a mass plantation drive inside Kangla fort in Imphal on Tuesday and named the site as new orchard ‘Nura Heikol’.
Around 700 indigenous fruit tree saplings were planted during the drive organised by the Kangla Board in association with department of Art and Culture; Forest and Directorate of Environment.
The drive was initiated as part of the Chief Minister’s Green Manipur Mission which was formally launched on June 22.
Observing that Langol forest and Kangla are the “lungs of Imphal city” as trees growing at these two places are the main oxygen supplier to the capital city, he said the government has plan to grow more trees and develop thick forests in these areas and other places as well.
Singh said in a recent meeting of the Kangla Board, it was decided to plant 10,000 fruit bearing tree saplings inside Kangla alone.
He entrusted the department of Horticulture and Directorate of Environment to plant the remaining saplings within a week. He also asked the officials to assign responsibility to the members for survival of the saplings.
Stating that the Kangla Board had decided to change all the names of gardens, orchards and sites of Kangla into indigenous/local names, the chief minister said that the Rock Garden located on the southern part of the fort would now be known as ‘Engellei Leikol’.
The site, where saplings were planted was earlier known as Biodiversity Park.
This place would become an orchard within a few years, and as such it would now be known as ‘Nura Heikol’, he said.
He urged the people to extend full cooperation and support to the mission in making Manipur green.
Art and Culture Minister L Jayantakumar, Revenue Minister Karam Shyam, Manipur Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker K Robindro Yaiskul MLA Th Satyabrata, Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu, DGP LM Khaute, Commissioner (Art and Culture) M Lakhsmikumar, Mutua Museum Director Mutua Bahadur and former Head of Department (History) of Manipur University, Prof. N Joykumar Singh also participated.
Later, the chief minister launched an LED Display Board run by Leibak Information Technology Pvt Ltd, Khurai Thoidingjam Leikai at the western gate of Kangla.
The LED board will display advertisement and information related to Kangla and other information including news.
