Replying to a question raised by opposition congress MLA K Ranjit Singh, Biswajit said that 14,699.04 hectare of reserved forest was burnt down during 2019 to January 2023 and 6 persons have been arrested in this regard.
The minister also observed the 95 per cent of the forest fire are on account of human activity.
Replying to another question by ruling MLA Ngursanglur Sanate, the Minister informed that the department will look into for opening a forest beat office in Pherzawl district to check illegal hunting and poaching activities. He said forest personnel will be deployed especially during October to December to check hunting of Amur Falcon- a migratory bird coming to the District.
He also informed that under Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region, organic farming is being practiced in 11,500 Hectare of land in the state.
Under the mission, financial assistance for procuring organic inputs has been given to the farmers. Replying to another question raised by Ukhrul MLA Ram Muivah, Miniter Biswajit Singh, who is also in-charge of Power, said 5 villages namely Ronshak, Sahamphung, Roni, Khayang and Phungtha have been electrified through off grid mode by photo voltaic module by MANIREDA since 2017-2018. He said these villages are being planned to be electrified through Grid mode once the planned 33/11 kv Sahamphung sub-station is taken up.
In another development, Consumers affairs food & public distribution Minister L Sushindro Meitei informed the House that steps have been taken up to start procuring locally produced rice for distribution under NFSA.