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| Yumnam Khemchand Singh during World Bamboo Day at Singjamei |
Considering the potentiality of bamboo products in bringing a turnover in state’s economy and to control the climate change, speaker, Yumnam Khemchand Singh has sought support from central government for development of bamboo business in the state.
The speaker was speaking during the observance of 10th World Bamboo Day held under the theme of ‘Bamboo: The future plant…a new hope’ at Singjamei Community hall today, organised by World Bamboo Day Celebration Committee.
Delivering his speech as chief guest of the function, he said that the state stands in second rank in bamboo production but could not untapped the highly useful resource properly due to lack of concerted support from the central government.
However if such resource is concentrated in the state where there is high number of representatives in parliament, the central government must give enormous support to that state for promotion of this highly valuable resource, he lamented.
Encouraging the bamboo artisans of the state, he said that any items made from wood can be replaced by bamboo. Moreover, the life cycle of bamboo is just three years whereas big trees usually take nearly 10 years to reach its maturity. Therefore promotion and production of bamboo items will help to bring a great change in economic scenario of the state, he added.
Noting its importance, the state government is ready to provide any form of assistance in order to make use of it in a sustainable way, he assured.
The resource person of today’s function, director of National Bamboo Mission, DD. Haokip said that the mission was launched in 2006-07 as a centrally sponsored scheme to promote growth of bamboo sector. The mission has completed for the first phase successfully and was focussed cultivation of bamboo, he added.
But in second phase, which was started from last year, the mission will be engaged in promotion of bamboo business, he continued.
He also said that since the second phase is in its initial stage, there is a long way to go. However various policies and programmes in relation to skill development, financial assistance and market strategies will be taken up soon, he added.
He maintained that, “Bamboo is a highly useful plant that can be grown in any places either in valleys or river banks or in forested areas. The bamboo production is much higher in India when compared to European and American countries. However, these two countries generate more revenue from bamboo than India. Hence even our country can reach up to this level.”
In addition to it, bamboo also plays big role in control of global temperature as it has the capacity to release more oxygen than absorption of carbon dioxide, he added.
As a part of the programme, a rally was also held from Kangla to Singjamei early morning and different products of bamboos like bicycle, furniture, electronic goods and other by-products were exhibited during the function.
Meanwhile, a souvenir containing articles on increasing the awareness of bamboos globally was also released at the function.
One of the bamboo artisans, Ajit Elangbam, who had acquired artistic skill of bamboo craft from China, said that bamboo craft can be a source of income as its product is highly profitable and demanding across the globe. But financial assistance, technical support and skill development training is highly needed, he said.
The world bamboo day was celebrated for the first time on September 18, 2009 at Prachan Buri, Thailand during the World Bamboo Congress held at Bangkok.
Source Imphal Free Press
