Meet focuses on Yongchak
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 06 2022:
A one-day program on "Awareness, Plantation & Distribution of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants with Special Reference to Tree Bean (Yongchak)" was organised by CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST) Branch Laboratory, Lamphelpat in collaboration with Manipur Protection & Promotion Committee of Tree Bean and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS) under CSIR Aroma Mission Project today.
The awareness program was held at CSIR-NEIST Branch Laboratory, Lamphelpat, a statement has informed.
The program was attended by Dr RK Ranjan Singh, Minister of Education & External Affairs; Dr Lorho S Pfoze, Member of Parliament and Professor Amar Yumnam, Former Vice Chancellor of Manipur University as chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.
Dr A Guneshwor Sharma, Director, AYUSH; Dr S Manikanta, retd Addl Director of Health Services; Dr I Meghachandra Singh, Joint Director, ICAR, Manipur Centre; Professor Mohilal Meitei, Head, Life Sciences, Manipur University were also present at the program as special invitees.
Dr H Birkumar Singh, Senior Principal Scientist of CSIR-NEIST Branch Laboratory, Lamphelpat delivered the keynote address and elaborated on the CSIR-Aroma Mission project under which various aromatic plants are being cultivated and distillation units have been installed across the North East.
Slips of high yielding varieties of Lemongrass and Citronella and saplings of Yongchak were distributed to some farmers of Manipur during the program.
Meanwhile, Dr RK Ranjan Singh focused on the need for planting of Yongchak (Tree Bean) as this plant has traditional significance and is a very important cash crop of Manipur.
The Yongchak should be planted along with other crops as the plant can absorb atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into fertilizer that can be utilised by other crops.
He also emphasized on the need for land reformation and not land law.
Dr Lorho S Pfoze said that the connection between valley and hill should be very strong.
Various departments should guide the hill people and poppy plantations should be replaced with other crops and fruit bearing plants, he said.
Professor Amar Yumnam, who presided over the function, highlighted large scale plantation of Yongchak trees in Manipur.
Yongchak and other medicinal and aromatic plants were planted inside the campus of the CSIR- NEIST Branch Laboratory by Dr RK Ranjan Singh and Dr Lorho S Pfoze in the presence of various officials and entrepreneurs today.