IMPHAL, March 23: A valedictory function of a village botanist course for members of BMCS, folk healers and other stakeholders in Manipur was held today at Forest Head Office Sanjenthong organized by the Manipur Bio-diversity Board (MBB) Imphal with Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM) and Expression of Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Tradition, Bangalore.
Addressing the function, Principal Chief Conservation of Forest, AK Rana said “The MBB holds an important role in managing the forests in the state”. The MBB also conducts the census operation in wildlife areas, he said and added that it had helped the Forest department during the counting of the population of Sangai and identifying the plants and herbs eaten by Sangai.
Addl Chief Secretary, Forest and Environtment PS Lawmkunga in his address said, “The main objective of the government is to preserve the bio-diversity”.
“The Biodiversity Act 2002 helps the people for their benefit”, he said.
Chief Secretary DS Poonia, who is also the chairman of the MBB in his address, said the local course is organized with the experts from villages well known in the field of flora and fauna.
The course is scientifically designed by FRLHT, Bangalore for the benefit of the people of the state, he said. MBB will continue to organize such course in the future also, he concluded.
A trainee who had attended the course, S Bhumeshore, said the participation has given him immense benefits in understanding the bio-diversity of the state.
He expressed his desire to see the repetition of such courses in the state in the future also.
Altogether 20 trainees attended the course which was started since August, 2012 from different districts of the state.