Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 25:
To facilitate import of timber (Teak and Khangra) to the State from Myanmar, Forest Minister Ngamthang Haokip will press the Union Minister of Forest and Environment to grant import permit to the State Govt during the upcoming review meeting of forestry schemes at Aizwal on Nov 29.The meeting which will be presided by the Union Environment and Forest Minister A Raja is being organised to review the various forestry projects presently undertaken in the North East region.
Sources informed that Minister Ngamthang Haokip will also be urging the Union Minister to leave out the State share's in all the Central Govt sponsored forest schemes undertaken in the State in the meeting besides highlighting the problems faced by the people in the hill dist due to the large scale invasion of rodents early this year.
Even though timber trade had been allowed between the two countries under the Indo-Myanmar Border Trade Agreement, timber trade have been put on halt for a long period by the High Power Committee (Delhi) due to the ban imposed by the Supreme Court; said a source adding that things have changed remarkably for timber business after the High Power Committee began issuing import permit to the timber traders a few months back.