Conserving forests will guarantee our survival: Awanbow
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, July 05 2021:
Naga People's Front, Manipur State Unit (NPF-MSU) on Monday organised a mass tree plantation programme at Senapati district headquarters along the road side of NH-2 in collaboration with Forest Department.
The plantation was taken up from Taphou Liangmei to Senapati bazaar together with ADC members, DFO, ROs and party workers of the NPF in the presence of forest, environment and climate change minister Awangbow Newmai, who is also the president of the NPF-MSU.
Addressing media persons, Awangbow asserted that planting trees and conserving the forests is necessary for ensuring survival of humans.
Climate change has been felt all over the country including Senapati.
10 years before at Senapati, nobody planned for installation of fan or AC when anybody constructs a house.
With the change of climate and ecosystem, every house now needs fan and AC.
It is because the forest is being destroyed day by day, he stated.
Awangbow pointed out that 420 km of forests are being destroyed every year according to record maintained by the office.
The whole area of Manipur is reported to cover only 22,327 square km.
If such large tracts of forests are destroyed every year then all the forest cover will vanish within 20 years resulting to water scarcity and uncomfortable living leading to nature against life.
The minister further noted that there are no other means to protect one selves from the Covid-19 disease other than vaccination as per the experts.
There has been no improvement from the disease in Manipur with alarming rate of positivity and about 10 deaths every day.
There could be lots of unrecorded deaths from the disease also.
Considering this, all should get tested if one has any suspicion as many deaths have occurred due to negligence or by thinking it as simple flu or due to the fear of confinement in isolation if one tests positive, he observed.
The minister also said there is no other means to contain the disease other than vaccination.
Awangbow also expressed his gladness for the presence of the ADC members, DFO, ROs and party workers for participating at the tree plantation.
The minister also appealed to plant more trees not only on the road side but also at every barren or uncultivated land in the villages.
The Forest Department has been able to increase production of saplings this year and plans are being made to increase it further in future, he added.
Around 700 saplings were planted during the programme including gulmohar, cherry and garcenia.
Similar tree plantation were also carried out in other hill areas including Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Tousem, Churachandpur, Chandel, Machi Road, Purul sub-division, Willong sub-division and Maram Khullen.