Imphal, September 19 2017: The North East region of the country has been abundantly blessed with bamboo and Manipur too is no exception.
In fact, bamboo is grown in 30 per cent of Manipur’s forest area which makes it a readily available natural resource .
On Monday, during the World Bamboo Day celebrations in Imphal, the State capital, locals, officials and experts discussed on issues to generate employment with the help of bamboo industry which is still in its nascent stage .
During the event organised by the World Bamboo Day Celebration Committee, Bamboo Forum of India co-ordinator Sukumar Haobam said, “Bamboo can be a source of employment, it is eco-friendly and can also produce bio-energy .
“Manipur is a region where bamboo is grown in 30 per cent of its forest area.
Since the early days, bamboo has been associated with the indigenous people of the State from their birth till the end of their lives,” Sukumar said .
Manipur Speaker Yumnam Khemchand too echoed similar sentiments.
“This celebration should raise awareness in the minds of the people about the wonderful plant.
It is the uniqueness of this plant that has helped man from prehistoric times in multifaceted ways.”
The World Bamboo Day celebration was co-hosted by the Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation and other departments like Agriculture, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Handloom and Textiles, Planning, University and Higher Education, along with Thokchom Buddhabir Associates, an Imphal-based architecture and infrastructure consultancy firm .
As a part of the day-long celebrations, 20 stalls were opened in Imphal during an exhibition that displayed bamboo and its allied products.
The exhibition is on for the next four days.
Along with the display of bamboo products like baskets and mats, people also enjoyed delicacies prepared with bamboo shoots at the event.
The World Bamboo Day is celebrated every year to increase awareness about bamboo globally .
Bamboo grows naturally and has been a daily element for people since ages, but its utilisation has not always been sustainable due to exploitation .
“The World Bamboo Organisation aims to bring the potential of bamboo to a more elevated exposure – to protect natural resources and the environment, to ensure sustainable utilisation, to promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries in regions around the world, as well as promote traditional uses locally for community economic development,” said a statement by the World Bamboo Organisation .
The World Bamboo Organisation is a diverse group consisting of individuals, commercial businesses, non-profit associations, institutions, and allied trade corporations from across the globe that share a common interest in bamboo.
Source: The Sangai Express / OneIndia
