"80 pc of NE kitchens use firewood"
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 14 2014: Of the total population of the North East India, 80 per cent kitchens are using firewood for rice cooking and other cooking activities.

The statement was given by Th Mahendra Pratap Singh, Conservator of Forest, Central Circle, Govern- ment of Manipur while attending the 65th Vanama- hotsava celebration 2014 as president held on Monday at Maharabi Community hall.

The Vanamahotsava celebration was organised by Range Forest Officer, SADAR East Range Ching-meirong.

Mahendra Pratap further stated that man lives on with forest products and added that from birth to death and also from morning to night, man heavily depends on forest and its products.

80 per cent kitchens of the entire North East India are heavily dependent to firewood for cooking rice and food items, he added.

Despite this, he told that there were famines in the country just after she got independent from the British in 1947 which pushed India's economy to worst condition and the then Agriculture Minister identified India as an agricultural country where people are heavily dependent on people on agriculture and forest products.

On this backdrop, the then Govt.of India decided for month long obser- vance Vanamahotsava during the month of July every year, the Conservator added.

The Conservator further mentioned that agricultural activity depends on forest and agricultural activity could not be possible without forest as forest con- serves rain water and at the same time, forest protects the topsoil from erosion.

It was also expressed that forest absorbs carbon-dioxide emitted from the industry while releasing oxygen for human and animal consumption.

Mahendra Pratap articulated that Manipur exper- iences the increase of warming due to organised wildfire in the forest and large scale felling of timber.

He also mentioned that Celsius degree 20 is comfortable for human survival, but the thermometer in Manipur now touches 34 degree Celsius and 44 in Delhi.

He further said that it took one hundred years for increasing one degree Celsius in the past but now it only takes one year.

He then appealed the gathering to do some effort for the protection of forest and also do the needful to steadily grow the nursery trees planted today.

He further informed that Joint Forest Management Committees were constituted at various villages and such Committee will be soon set up for Maharabi village.

During the function, the Pradhan of the Potshangbam Gram Panchayat M Mangi Singh attended as chief guest while Divisional Forest Officer of the Central Forest Division DK Vinodkumar, ward members of the Panchayat L Ingocha, Radha Devi as guests of honour respectively.

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