Banana & Alternative Natural Fibres and Allied Products are New Hope for North-East - Bhubon
Source: IT News

Imphal, May 03 2019: AMITY University, Amity School of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (ASNRSD), Noida, India in association with the Shintha Handlooms and Handicrafts, Thongju-2, Manipur has conducted a "One Day Training on Banana/Alternative Natural Fibre Extraction and Product Development" yesterday, the 2nd May, at the "Skills' Traning Centre" of CSIR-NEIST, Lamphelpat , Imphal west.

Dr H Birakumar Singh, Principal & Senior Scientist, CSIR-NEIST, Lamphelpat, Prof B K P Sinha Advisor to AMITY University, Amity School of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (ASNRSD), Noida, India; Jiten Thokchom, Secretary of Manipur Chambers of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) Manipur and L Sadananda, Treasurer, MCCI attended the inaugural functions as the Chief Guest, President and the Guests of Honour respectively.

Banana & Alternative Natural Fibres and Allied Products are New Hope for North-East - Bhubon

The said one day training on Banana/Alternative Natural Fibre Extraction and Product Development" was organized as a part of the ongoing project of the AMITY University, Noida entitled "Natural Alternative Fibre Based Textiles: Assessment Market Potential & Techno-Economics Feasibility in Context of North-East" under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India" said by S Bhubol of Shintha Handlooms and Handicrafts, Thongju Part-2, Imphal East.

Giving the key-note speech of the function, S Bhubol continued that the banana and alternative natural fibres and their allied products are the new hopes for the North East region's economic development as such fibres can now be qualitatively produced from a number of indigenous plants and trees abundantly growing in the states of northeast.

Dr H Birakumar Singh in his speech of the Chief Guest expressed happiness on conducting the training as CSIR-NEIST has also working in this area in the last few years that is experienced with enormous potential i this field for Manipur in particular and entire North-East in general.

He further said that the CSIR-NEIST is still engrossing in research works and possibly the best potential of the indigenous plantain tree (banana) popularly known as 'Changbi' which can give the longest thread reaching upto 15-20 ft long bearing good qualities that can be easily used as for weaving purposes without much difficulty of offently joining the threads.

He added that the two banana fibre extractor machines installing in the CSIR-NEIST campus, Lamphelpat, the Skill Training Centre and all other machine and equipment can now used in free of cost by the entrepreneurs having interest in this field.

Neeraj Sinha Coordinator of the project substituting Prof B K P Sinha of AMITY University expressed happiness on findings of the project the rich potential of the North-East in the area of producing banana and alternative natural fibre extraction and allied production and more potentials available in Manipur state not only fully grown by natural fibre extractable plants and trees but also populated by highly skilled artisans producing world standard crafts of Kauna and Chumthang the world is demanding at best.

Jotin Thokchom giving his speech of Guest of Honour expressed that the state has a potentials as traditional knowledge and practices in the field of natural fibre based productions existing as prolonged occupations of the artisans of land and asserted that it is time for taking reference of others South East Asian Countries like Philippines and Malaysia which have been producing maximum production in the sector and also he said that the advanced machines for extraction of natural fibres and joining threads equipment produced by countries like China can be procured in the state for achieving better qualities and products.

He added that the Manipur Chambers of Commerce and Industries shall extend support to this field at best capacities by incorporating in its venture of hunting the South Asian Countries for better economics ties with the state Manipur.