23,724 ha of bamboo plantation carried out
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, August 26 2016 : Manipur Forest Department has carried out a total of 23,724 ha of bamboo plantation in forest and non-forest areas of the State under the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) .

The National Bamboo Mission (NBM) is a Centrally sponsored scheme introduced in 2006-07 with 100% funding from the Central Government.

In the State, the Scheme is being implemented through State Bamboo Steering Committee (SBSC) by 10 Forest Development Agencies (FDAs) and Bamboo Development Agency (BDA) .

FDAs implement activities in forest areas whereas BDAs in non-forest areas.

Bamboo, sometimes called "poor man's timber" has now emerged as the timber of the future.

Bamboos used to mature within of 3-5 years.

For the benefit of bamboo farmers of the State and to raise awareness on the emerging importance of bamboo and its roles in entrepreneurship, training programmes have also been held from time to time.

Over the past few years, the Department has been taking up plantations under various schemes though the quantum of plantations is not commensurate with the scale of deforestation.

The National Forest Policy, 1988 laid more emphasis on participatory forest management by involving local communities in the protection and rejuvenation of degraded forest areas.

Accordingly, the establishment of Forest Development Agencies (FDAs) and constitution of the Joint Forest Management Committees(JFMCs) took place.

As a result of complete transparency in the implementation of the NAP, the perception of the people towards the forestry sector has changed overwhelmingly.

During the last 14 years, a total of 48,523 ha of plantation was carried out along with other allied activities with the involvement of 726 number of JFMCs.

This scheme was taken up to intensify forest management with regard to forest fire control, strengthening of infrastructures and working plan preparation/ survey & demarcation of forest land.

It envisages creation of fire lines and maintenance of existing ones thus preventing fire hazards in forest areas.

To keep a strict vigil against the occurrences of forest fire, watchers are engaged and deployed at all fire prone area.

Under this scheme, 25 watch towers, 26 Range offices, 34 Beat Offices, 41 Barracks and 9 residential quarters for field level officers have been constructed at various locations in the State.

The Department has established Botanical Garden Complex, Arboretum at Langol RF and Herbal Garden at Raj Bhawan.

Tissue Culture laboratory at Mantripukhri has also been set up.

In addition, active initiatives are being made for setting up of Manipur Forest Research Institute.

Further, two projects on "Production and testing of Banslochan" and : "Micropopagation of some of the destructively harvested medicinal plants of Manipur through Tissue Culture for their multiplication, field trial and conservation" have been approved by the National Medicinal Plant Board.

As a follow-up action on the regional workshop on Green India Mission, Forest Department, Manipur in collaboration with the Green India Mission(GIM) Directorate, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi has formulated a Perspective Plan and Annual Action Plan for 2015-16 and they have been approved by the Government of India.

Comment