To offset global warming, villagers start planting trees
Source: Hueiyen News Service / N Sanajaoba

Imphal, March 18 2013: Having realised the impact of global warming from indiscriminate cutting down of trees and destroying the forests, villagers of Khulsaibong in Chandel district have started planting trees to save the forest and environment at last.

The villagers have also come up with certain rules and regulations to prohibit anyone from cutting down trees and setting forest land on fire to save the environment from further degradation.

Earlier known as Karong-thel, Khulsaibong village is located around 10 kms to the east of Heirok village.

To the south of the village, is located the source of Khongjom River and the source of Heirok River to its north.

The village, which is situated in between the two river sources, gets all its water requirements from the three water reservoir tanks constructed and filled up from the two rivers with the help of a 20-km long water pipe.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Chief of Khulsaibong village Dangsuwa Korungthana, informed that the decision to start plantation of trees and prevent anyone from cutting down trees or setting fire in the forest areas was taken after the villagers started experiencing the problem of scarcity of water even for drinking.

In fact, the village used to have abundant water in the past.

The Village Chief went on to inform that earlier name of the village (Karongthel) literally means 'the land of the King' in Maring language and the people of the village acted themselves like kings, do whatever they like and do not care to listen to anyone.

But as the time passes by, all the trees have been cut down and extensive jhum cultivations were carried.

As a result, the forest cover of the area began to disappear and the water sources of the village dried up.

The situation has become so critical that one could see water being collected in the streams only during rainy season, he added.

It was when the scarcity of water hit the villagers that they started realizing the impact of their harmful activities and decided to launch a tree plantation drive with the saplings provided by Loktak Development Authority (LDA), the village chief said.

Along with the tree plantation drive, the villagers themselves have come up with certain rules and regulations to be followed by every villager.

The rules included prohibiting setting fire in forest areas and imposition of Rs 2,500 as fine against anyone who defies the rules, Dangsuwa Korungthana said.

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