Boost traditional uses of bamboo : Dr RK Ranjan

KANGPOKPI, May 25
The South Asia Bamboo Foundation (SABF), Guwahati, Assam and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS), Manipur organised “Campaign for Mass Bamboo Plantation” today at Mapao Zingtun, Kangpokpi district, Manipur.
 Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of Education and External Affairs joined the inaugural function of the campaign as the chief guest online from New Delhi.“
The guests of honour included Dr S Manikanta Singh, Additional Director (retd), Health Service, Kamesh Salam, founder and executive director, SABF, former President of World Bamboo Organization and founder, World Bamboo Day Celebrations, Dr Homen Thangjam, faculty of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Babloo Loitongbam, director of Human Rights Alert and Sorei Raman, chairman Sorshia Christian College, Mapao Zingtun. Chitra Haobam, social worker was the special invitee of the function while Professor Amar Yumnam, former Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University presided the function.
The Inaugural Function started with a prayer by Pastor Rev Angamlei Zimik.“ Dr Atom Sunil Singh, Director of AIMS delivered the keynote address.
During the function, Dr RK Ranjan Singh remarked “Climate change and pollution in every form is a reality today. In fact, the whole world is gasping for oxygen and talking about oxygen bank”. Thus, he expressed his appreciation for the campaign. However, he underscored that while the plantation is being carried out, a proper landscaping must be undertaken to make sure that the bamboo planted is in a spot that absorbs maximum emission. He also advised the organisers and bamboo enthusiasts to be careful while using exogenous bamboo species but instead promote and conserve the existing more than 52 bamboo species of Manipur. He further added that the Manipur civilization is based on bamboo. However, the traditional forms of uses of bamboo need to be boosted, taking into consideration various modern applications of the versatile plant.
Kamesh Salam started with the dual policy confusion that prevails over bamboo in India. He remarked that on one hand, it is treated as a forest product like timber. On the other hand, it is treated as a horti/agricultural product like paddy. Therefore, India has not been able to push forward to develop bamboo and associated products in an intelligent manner while the rest of the world has taken enormous benefits out of the “green gold”.
Professor Amar Yumnam appreciated the beauty of Mapao Zingtun and aspired to make the place a renowned academic hub. He also added that the Government must tap the abundantly available bamboo resource and add it as a valuable component of development chart for income generation and employment creation.
Babloo Loitongbam in his short speech remarked that bamboo plantation can be taken up as a part of the Sustainable Development Goals taken up by the United Nations.
Dr S Manikanta Singh emphasized on the need for education and awareness regarding poppy plantation in the state and suggested bamboo plantation as an alternative to poppy.
Sorei Raman, Dr Homen Thangjam and Chitra Haobam also gave their nostalgic accounts related to the plant and called for conserving and planting more bamboos.
 Khavangpam Muiva, headman of Mapao Zingtun proposed the vote of thanks.