1st 'Bauhinia Festival 2021' celebrated at Koide village
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, April 26 2021: The 1st Bauhinia (Vapah in local dialect) Festival 2021, a community plantation event under the initiative of Koide Youth & Students Organization (KYSO) and the aegis of Koide Union was inaugurated by D John Sha, MFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Senapati as the chief guest.

In his keynote address, Ng Ngaorai, programme convenor stated that the festival has a large significance with Covid-19 .

As the stories of patients who recovered from Covid-19 were asked to go and plant tree saplings went viral on social media, realising the importance of planting trees, the event was organised under the initiative of KYSO when the world was stuck with COVID-19 last year with many people returning home from metro cities.

In spite of being down with depression during the lockdown last year, the KYSO came up with a proposal of converting the problem into a prospect by introducing a community plantation drive from Biisho to Purul.

1st 'Bauhinia Festival 2021' celebrated at Koide village

Unfortunately, more than 50% of the planted saplings could not survive with the construction of a new road under PMGSY.

During the festival, exclusive drinking water from the village pond at the boundary between Oinam Hill village and Koide village was served to all visitors along with refreshments made by the Koide village women society with local made bread, a delicacy among the Poumai community.

It may be mentioned that 'Bauhinia variegata' and 'Bauhinia purpurea', a multipurpose tree species with strong cultural ties to the tribal way of life is glorified through folk-lores distinct to different tribes and villages in the district.

Understanding the importance of the tree species and its intimacy and cultural heritage, KYSO piloted to convert COVID-19 depression into community empowerment through afforestation of this indigenous tree species.

The Bauhinia Festival is the first community tree plantation festival in the district aimed at infusing the spirit of ecological stewardship amongst the populace.

Addressing the programme, D John Sha stated that bauhinia is a valuable fauna because of its flower as it exhibits a lot of colour.

It has medicinal properties and is even used as vegetables in some part of the country.

The tree species is available in the subcontinent as well as in the south East Asian countries.

While congratulating KYSO and the Koide Union, the chief guest lauded the villagers for taking steps to conserve and inculcate the importance of trees to mitigate climate change through the plantation programme and for organising the festival to promote plantation of trees and conserve the forest.

D John Sha expressed his appreciation and stated that such a programme would bring change in the society and help generate awareness on the importance of conserving trees and the beautiful creation of the Almighty God.

He further urged the people to take part in the celebration as well as in planting, protecting and conserving the flora and fauna of the region.

Kh Siile Anthony, Former Joint Registrar, JNU in his speech stated that the effects of afforestation has been felt by everyone like the weather becoming too hot to even go out during the day.

He urged the people to plant more trees for a better future and take a pledge to not cut down trees.

D Dailord Pao, president Poumai Naga Union (PNU) lauded the Koide youth for taking up an innovative idea with great purpose both for the present and future.

RS Solomon, president Koide Union mentioned that the union had earlier declared to make a green village in the past and announced that the Tsiibe Foundation would donate Rs 10,000 to the first Bauhinia.

Later, Bauhinia tree saplings were planted by all the visiting officials.