Kpi has huge prospects in tourism, says Irish Horticulturist
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, November 23 2019: Ireland's most brilliant horticulturists, Seamus O'Brien, head gardener of the office of Public Works managed National Botanic Gardens at Kilmacurragh, East Wicklow in Ireland considered newly created Kangpokpi District having vast prospects in tourism.

About 12 delegates of foreign plant researchers headed by Seamus O' Brien had visited Ukhrul and Kangpokpi District in the state last week.

They were guided by LamKoi, a leading travel agency during their trips to Ukhrul and Kangpokpi.

Kpi has huge prospects in tourism, says Irish Horticulturist

Seamus O'Brien is one of Ireland's most outstanding present-day plantsmen and is widely known throughout the Ireland and in the UK and a recipient of Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland (RHSI) which was founded in 1816 to promote and improve the knowledge, skill, and practice of horticulture, arboriculture, and floral art while encouraging respect for the environment and creating a sense of community amongst its members.

Interacting with media persons at LNC Hotel, Kangpokpi DHQs, Seamus O' Brien, who is also an author of various books about plants shared his team's happiness to find an international level modern biotech lab with the state of the art hardening unit at FEEDS, Hengbung saying that it is among the best laboratory in the world.

He pointed out that some of the loveliest plant species in Irish gardens are from the tiny Indian state of Sikkim and we found another 5/6 different plants species at the Centre for Orchid Gene Conservation at Hengbung.

While lauding the initiative of FEEDS Hengbung, the Irish plantsmen also said that they really enjoyed the beauty, serene environment and knowledge and skills imparted at FEEDS Campus especially in their marvellous works on plants and orchids.

The team guided by Jeet Akoijam, Residential Editor of ImphalTimes, who is also a member of LamKoi also visited S Molnom Model Village and Haipi village in Kangpokpi District.

They were really impressed by the hospitality of the villagers.

Seamus O' Brien categorically pointed out that Kangpokpi district is a blessed place especially the beautiful Haipi village which is blessed with rich biodiversity, flora and fauna and it can be a huge attraction of tourists from all over the world if a home stay inn could be set up in the village.

Narrating on their visit to Ukhrul District, especially the Shiroi Hill, Seamus O' Brien said that their main aim for coming to Manipur is to visit the Shiroi Lily.

He said that the shade-loving lily was discovered when Frank Kingdon-Ward, an English botanist, explorer, plant collector and author, came to Manipur with his wife (the daughter of a Bombay high court judge) for botanical research, in 1946 .

Frank made the exciting "discovery" of Shiroi Lily and named it after his wife Jean Macklin and at the time, it received the Prestigious Merit Prize in 1948 by Royal Horticultural Society Flower while the Indian Postal Department commemorated the Lily with a postage stamp and it is the State flower of Manipur, he narrated.

The Irish Horticulturist suggested complete ban on plastics in the hill of Shiroi so as to preserve and protect the Lily from disappearance while also suggesting the Government of Manipur to initiate immediate measures in collaboration with the local populace in preserving the ecosystem of Shiroi Hill in the larger interest of the Lily first with a ban on plastics uses in the hill.