Imphal, March 14, 2010: Even as the resource/manpower-starved Forest Department of the State is faced with a daunting task to preserve rare flora and fauna found in Manipur, it has been revealed that large quantity of rare orchids and ginseng roots are being smuggled into China.

Speaking as a resource person during the one-day workshop on 'media sensitisation for wildlife conservation' at keibul Lamjao National Park, Bishnupur district today noted environmentalist RK Ranjan said certain orchid varieties belonging to the dendrobium family are being smuggled to china through the porous Indo-Myanmar border.

Informing that the smuggled orchid varieties are abundantly found in Chandel district, he also further conveyed that along with a rare ginseng variety, medicinal plants found in Ukhrul district also find access to some other south Asian countries.

"We are told that these typical orchid species are in high demand by Chinese beverage factories for using them as a key component in manufacturing beer," RK Ranjan, who is also associated with the Bombay Natural Historical Society (BNHS) and is the state coordinator of Indian Conservation Network (IBCN), said.

The environmentalist also emphasised on the urgent need for maximum effort by the Forest Department authorities to snip smuggling network and curb illegal export of the State's rare asset.

Toying on similar line as Ranjan, another environmentalist Salam Rajesh said, "I have seen many tribal people in remote areas of Chandel district transporting bags of the rare orchids towards the international boundary only to reach China.

"Sadly state forest authorities are not fully aware of this disturbing trend saying they have not received any specific information in this regard".

"We have not received any official information on this matter though there have been reports of other rare forest products being smuggled into some Asian countries," countered deputy conservator of forest (park and sanctuary), L Joykumar Singh in his address during the workshop which was organised by the State Forest Department.

"If this be the case, we will definitely inform the matter to the higher ups and the concerned officials in Chandel district to foil the reported illegal flow of the rare orchid beyond the country," the official affirmed.

He, however, accepted the fact that ginseng plants grown in and around proposed Siroy national park are smuggled out from the country for which efforts are on to curb it.

Due to lack of awareness on the importance of forest and environment coupled with the want for coordination between the forest department and other related state agencies, the standing rules and acts to protect and preserve these rare forest products and wild animals could not be implemented effectively, he observed.

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