Imphal, July 7 (EMN): Manipur Forest and Environment Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar said agar oil extraction units will be set up at Jiribam, Tengnoupal (Moreh) and Kamjong (Ningthi village) districts Minister Shyamkumar who is on a 3-day tour of Jiribam district made the announcement at the launch of the agar plantation programme at the Lamtai Khunou, Jiribam district bordering Assam’s Cachar district at the programme organised by the State Forest Department. Around 3,200 numbers of agar seedlings were planted across 2 hectares of land.
The minister said that the mass agar plantation programme is being taken up in the state following the MoU signed between the government of India and government of Laos during the last year’s NE development summit held as part of Manipur’s annuak Sangai Festival. Government of Laos will provide maintenance fund, necessary treatments for the trees and a market place for the agar trees planted in the state.
Shyamkumar further said that the officials of Laos will visit the state to provide necessary treatments for the better growth of the trees including fungi injection. He added that the agar trees planted in the state will be marketed for income generation of the villagers along with helping in conservation of environment.
Stating that the forest department is aiming to achieve the target within the month of August, he said the villagers will maintain, protect and extract the trees thus providing livelihood. Appealing to the people of the state not to waste forest land, he said all should come forward and plant suitable trees, including fruit bearing trees.
Jiribam, Tengnoupal and Kamjong districts are most suitable for the agar plantation and the agar trees which are planted now will be extracted after 7-8 years. It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Biren Singh launched the agar plantation at Heingang Reserve Forest on June 24, 2018.
The Minister also met the people of Lamtai Khunou and heard their grievances besides visiting Jiribam Forest Division.
