State-wide mass plantation drive from June, GPS to track progress
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Tengnoupal, May 25 2018:
Forest and Environment and Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar said his department has identified the locations for the State-wide mass plantation drive which will be begin from June under the 'Go to Village' and 'Go To Hills' of the State Government.
Latest technology will be used to track the development of these plantations Th Shyamkumar said while visiting the Holenphai and Teenumunjang villages under Tengnoupal district near the Indo-Myanmar border today.
The drive will be video recorded and Geo Tracking System will be used to track progress of the plantations.
Forest and Environment and Horticulture and Soil Conservation Departments along with the villagers of different districts will collaborate in the plantation drive across the State.
Addressing media persons, Th Shyamkumar said he is hopeful that the mass plantation drive will be able to combat global warming as well as meet the objectives of the State Government's 'Go to Village' and 'Go to Hills' missions.
Acknowledging the dependence of the villagers on forest produces, the departments have come up with the plan for the plantation drive to provide an alternative means of earning income for the villagers, he said.
Different trees along with cash crops will be planted.
Agar saplings will be planted along with cash crops including cardamom, cashew, orange, lychee/litchi, Parkia speciosa (petai) (yongchak) among others.
The departments have identified suitable places for Agar plantation like Jirbam, Kamjong and Tengnoupal while Teenumunjang village (Tengnoupal) is suitable for cashew plantation.
On the other hand, Kamjong and Senapati are suitable for the Kiwi plantation and Avocado is suitable in Ukhrul he added.
He further said the Agar tree takes 7-8 years to mature and the farmers/villages can earn upto Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh per tree.
Stating that his department will provide saplings for fide, he said the farmers/villagers will alsb be rewarded for maintenance of the trees.