IMPHAL, Dec 16?A two-day long seminar on ?bamboo for employment and economic generation? which concluded on Friday at the Hotel Imphal conference hall, categorically highlighted the economic potential of bamboo in North-east region.
Projecting the North-eastern region as blessed with abundant natural resources for employment generation and expansion of economic activities, most of the speakers end experts during the two-day brain storming session, stressed on exploration and tapping of bamboo.
Manipur governor Arvind Dave who attended the inaugural session at the Gandhi memorial hall in Imphal on Thursday as the chief guest, termed bamboo as one of the natural assets of the region of which Manipur occupies a significant portion. It may be noted that North-east is major bamboo belt in the country, where 65 per cent of the country?s bamboo are grown and 20 per cent of the world. The State of Manipur alone contributes 21 varieties of bamboo in India. Tamenglong, Jiribam, Churachandpur and Chandel are the major bamboo belts in Manipur, even though there are reports of bamboo growing forests in almost all the nine districts of Manipur.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam said, ?Economy of the region could be improved if there is proper channelisation of the bamboo and its products in time.? He also called upon all the chief ministers of north-east States to frame a bamboo policy for the improvement of the regions economy. Separate letters have also been sent to the chief ministers of North east region excluding Mizoram in the wake of the NEC meeting at Gangtok wherin all governors, chief ministers took ?active interest? in bamboo, he added.
Koijam, who now heads Research and Strategic Development Organisation for the North east, an NGO involved in activities of poverty eradication in the region regarding the prevailing situation in the region felt,? if we keep on thinking on the line of the having problems, we won?t be able to do anything in public interest. ?Everyone should extend their help in liberating the region from the clutches of backwardness.