State to have policy own Bamboo policy by next month
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 25 2012:
To propagate Bamboo and its products, the state government would introduce a Bamboo policy of its own by March, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), government of Manipur AK Rana has informed.
Speaking as Chief Guest of the inaugural function of a day-long District Level Workshop on Bamboo Development & Utilisation at the conference hall of Head Office of Forest Department at Sanjenthong here today, Rana pointed out that Bamboo is a material which is indispensable to Manipuri society since time immemorial.
So, propagation of Bamboo through popularization of its products should be the bounden duty of the people.
Stressing on the need for increasing production of Bamboo in the state, the PCCF assured that the department would be extending every possible assistance in this regard.
He observed that setting up handicraft industries based on Bamboo to manufacture beautiful artifacts and exporting them to outside markets would help in improving the economy of the state.
China and Japan may be the leading countries in the world in term of manufacturing bamboo products, but proper utilization of the high quality bamboo products found in Manipur would definitely give a boost to the state economy.
The quality of the Bamboo varieties found in Manipur is no less than those found in other states of country.
There is some handicraft industries based on Bamboo in Manipur too.
But their number is too low and we need to increase them, the PCCF observed.
During the workshop organised by Bamboo Development Agency, Manipur under the guidelines of National Bamboo Mission (NBM), a documentary film titled 'Bamboo Management' was screened.
The inaugural function was also attended by Director of Agriculture Department L Palendro and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (WPR & S) K Thambou as Guest of Honour and President respectively.
In the afternoon session of the workshop, DFO Tengnoupal Forest Division Kh Bira, Designer Consultant Sukumar Haobam and Functional Manager of Commerce & Industries Department (Handicrafts Section) Sanasam Birendra spoke as resource persons on the topic of 'Modern technique of bamboo plantation', 'Bamboo as an enterprise' and 'Prospects of Bamboo based handicrafts industries in Manipur' .