IMPHAL, December 5 (NNN): Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam on Wednesday urged the scientific community and the people of the North- East to elevate silk industry, which has the potential to bring about socio-economic development in the region.
Gaikhangam stated this while inaugurating a 3-day international consultative meeting on ‘Seribiotechnology” (ICMS) 2012 organised by Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India) at Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC), Imphal.
Gaikhangam said that in the past, sericulture received the patronage of Royal families of North East India and this old- age practice and cottage industries of the rural populace of NE India is now “under threat” due to advent of modern synthetic clothing.
The silk industry is largely dependent on production of large number of cocoons, produced by the particular type of insect as well as their related host plant, he said and pointed there is always a symbolic relationship between the silkworm and their host plant.
Population of both the organisms and host plant are gradually diminishing and the people are also losing interest in this enterprise lately, he further said.
He said: “Cultural tradition, heritage and availability of genetic resources (about 500 types of cultivated silkworms) are interwoven with the necessity, and we should not forget this.”
“I urge the scientific community and the people of the region to elevate this silk industry, which has the potential to bring about socio-economic development in the region,” the Home Minister said.
Through dissemination of scientific knowledge and extension of activities on sericulture, it is possible not only to rejuvenate the sericulture but move it forward, he added.
Prof YP Lim, Chungnam National University, South Korea also spoke at the opening function of the consultative meet. He said there are a lot of similarities among South Korea, Manipur and Assam in respect of their language, food habit, custom, culture, etc.
Silk industry can be easily developed in the highest level if India and South Korea work together in this field, Prof Lim suggested and highlighted on promoting various resources available in both Manipur and Assam.
Prof H Nandakumar, Vice Chancellor, Manipur University also attended the function as president. He stated that both Manipur and Assam are playing a big role in identifying India in the world by their silk products.
For Manipur, silk cottage industries have long been an inalienable part and practice of every families, Prof Nandakumar said while adding that now in India, Domestic demand on silk products is thirty-thousand metric tonne while the normal production is seventy-thousand metric tonne only.
Employment to millions of people in the country can be easily provided if we can develop silk industry properly, he suggested.
India is famous for its silk products especially by golden colour silk from Assam, he said. It is expected that the consultative meet will create a new idea for the people who are working in this field and have a good impact, he added.
Chief guest of the function, Deputy CM Gaikhangam also released a souvenir of the consultative meet.
Fifty delegates comprising of scientists, academicians, researches from the USA, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and India are participating at the meet.
Prof KP Gopinathan, INSA Honorary Professor, IISC, Bangalore, Dr NC Talukdar, Chairman, ICMS 2012 and Dr T Shantibala, Scientist, IBSD and organizing secretary, ICMS 2012 were also present at the function.
Resource persons from USA, Japan, South Korea and from various parts of India are participating in a programme, “International Consultative Meeting on Seribiotechnology” in Imphal from December 5 to 7.
The Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) is hosting the programme in the auditorium of Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC), Imphal.
The meeting is being organised under the sponsorship of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. It is organised to discuss the developmental prospect of sericulture in the northeast region of India.