Imphal, May 04: To start replantation of Bamboo after the destruction caused by Bamboo flowering at Jiribam, Chandel, Churachandpur and Tamenglong districts, the State Government has taken up necessary measures to set up a Bamboo Development Agency, Forest and Environment Minister Th Debendra informed the Assembly today.

The Minister furnished this information in response to the call attention motions raised by two MPP MLAs O Joy and Ng Bijoy who expressed apprehension that famine might occur at these places as all the food-crops have been damaged by rodents in the wake of the bamboo flowering phenomenon.

The Minister informed the House that along with the steps taken up, setting up a Bamboo Development Agency, plantation of the mixed variety of Bamboo called Saneibi has begun on over 2620 hectares of land.

This include 755 hectares in Tamenglong west, 800 hectares in Tamenglong, 525 hectares in Jiribam and 540 hectares in Tengnoupal.

Necessary steps have also been taken up for plantation and development of Bamboo resources under National Bamboo Mission, he added.

The Minister further informed the House that arrangement for lifting the dry Bamboo which have been cut down at the instance of the State Government after the Bamboo flowering phenomenon has also been made.

The Centre has also given assurance for providing more than Rs 9 crores under Centrally sponsored schemes for development of the roads for lifting slashed dry Bamboos, to prevent Bamboo flowering, to control rodent menace and to prevent outbreak of bush fire.

Under the Special Plan Assistance, a joint effort will also be taken up by the Agriculture, Horticulture, Veterinary and Forest Department for afforestation, construction of drainage system to contain bush-fire and prevent soil erosion, he added.

Raising the call attention motion, O Joy mentioned that the utility of Bamboo also only improves the socio-economic life of the impoverished people but also in augmentation of the rural economy.

But the phenomenon of wide spread Bamboo flowering has given a serious impact on the socio-economic life of the people, specially among those living in the hills, he observed.

Moreover, in view of the of damages caused to the food grains and other crops by rodents, whose population have increased after the Bamboo flowering, there is apprehension that famine may break out and it would ultimately have a serious impact on the economy of the State as a whole, he said.

Joy demanded to know why the Forest Department fails to take up necessary preventive measures inspite of the prediction made by scientists on the phenomenon of Bamboo flowering five years before.

He also demanded to know where the fund sanctioned for the replantation of Bamboo have been utilised.

Dr Ng Bijoy noted that Bamboo resources and its products played a major role in economy of the State.

So, since the Bamboo flowering is now over, the State Government should taken up necessary work for replantation of Bamboo as well as for prevention of rodent menace in future, he suggested.

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