Orchid farm inaugurated at Talui village
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Mamang

Ukhrul, June 07 2022: A new Orchid farm has come up at M Raikhan Ecological Park located at Talui village in western Ukhrul.

The farm was inaugurated by retired IRS and author Home Raikhan in connection with the observance of World Environment Day on June 5 .

On the occasion, Raikhan also launched a drive for plantation of orchid saplings and indigenous fruit bearing trees.

The retired bureaucrat said that in order to realize the purpose of an ecological park, there was a need to create an eco-friendly, family-friendly, and standard infrastructure, including a proper waste management system.

Advocating tree plantation to restore the environment, he suggested that the beauty of nature be expressed through the medium of music and poetry.

He also advised the people to wajk more and drive less saying it has immense benefits both in terms of physical exercise and pollution management.

Attending the event as resource person, environmental researcher Dr Ng Ngalengshim said that as per his findings, human activities like forest fire, hunting, deforestation, and the uses of pesticides and fertilisers are the main threats to the biodiversity and environment in Ukhrul district.

Delivering the keynote address, ZTKL former president AC Thotso said that the Orchid farm is a part of the Green Zingtun Mission, which has taken shape at M Raikhan Ecological Park, a 2 sq km land donated by Talui village.

He said that the vision is to preserve each of the native plant species and their local names to help educate and benefit researchers, students, conservation activists, etc., through indigenous methods and models of preservation and conservation.

Among the tree saplings planted in the garden during the drive included Ceylon olive (Elaeocarpus serratus), Nepali hog plum (Choero-spondias axillaris), Kafal (Myrica esculenta), Manipuri oak (Quercus serrata), and bird cherry (Prunus napaulensis), Prunus cerasoides, (Cherry), Ficus spp., Dendrobium spp, Red vanda, Blue vanda, Bulbophyllum spp., Phalaenopsis spp., Papilionanthe spp., Coelogyne spp., Cymbidium spp., etc.

Around 60 participants drawn from different villages of the region took part in the event.

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