Need for environmental consciousness in hills stressed
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, June 05 2012: "Awareness to the people of the hills in Manipur about the environment, and deforestation being a primary cause of climate change and global warming is the need of the hour," said M.K.Preshaw Shimray, MLA, Chingai assembly constituency, Ukhrul district.

He was speaking as chief guest at the one-day discussion on "Climate Change" and releasing of documentary film "An Unattended Guest" at Manipur Press Club auditorium on Tuesday.

Speaking about the importance of trees in the lives of the people in the past, Preshaw Shimray related that during the pre-Christianity period it was customary among the hill people for the oldest member of a community to pray and take all responsibilities for any evil falling on the community before starting to cut down a tree.

But after embracing Christianity, people stopped this practice and today trees are being cut down at random indiscriminately for timber to be used by the people or for business purposes, he added.

He went to say that during his childhood, there was snow fall and plenty of water in Ukhrul district, but now water is a scarce commodity in Ukhrul today due to climatic changes caused by deforestation.

He expressed his desire for the government of Manipur to declare Siroy hills as a national park to which he would give his whole-hearted support.

Speaking in the discussion, L.Joykumar, district forest officer (Park & Sanctuary), department of forest, revealed that a total of around 190 square kilometers of forest area is lost due to shifting (jhum) cultivation in Manipur, and said that poverty is one major of deforestation and ecological imbalance resulting in climate change.

Taking part in the discussion, several other dignitaries also spoke on the need to save the environment for the welfare of the human race by conserving our forests and wild life.

A documentary film "An Unattended Guest" was also shown which depicted the Shiroy bird which used to migrate to the Shiroy hills in Ukhrul district in search of the Champa fruit, but which is no longer seen today as the Champa trees are cut down indiscriminately and the Shiroy birds are killed or trapped.

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