World Bamboo Day celebrated in Imphal

The Bamboo Forum of India on Wednesday celebrated World Bamboo Day under the theme 'Bamboo for sustainable development goals' at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound here.

Lok Sabha MP RK Ranjan, Deputy Chairman Planning and Chairman MHHDC S Rajen Singh, Former President WBO and CF, SABF Kamesh Salam and Chairperson Manipur State Minorities Commission Anwar Hussain amongst others were seen at the event.

Talking at the event about the usage of bamboo, Ranjan stated, "The country has about 136 species of bamboo and 54 are found in the state. However, we are still not able to use bamboo efficiently as 70 per cent of livelihoods of Manipuri people are associated with bamboo products."

He also said that unemployed youth should undergo skill development training on bamboo and explore the prospects it has to offer.

Salam expressed the need for a Bamboo Board in the state to establish a 'value chain management system' and regulate the price of bamboos, during his address.

"I suggest that the Manipur government sets up a bamboo skill centre here because workers and artisans need to be trained," Salam said.

"Entrepreneurship development in Manipur is still lacking, we have been doing lots of awareness programs since 2001 but till now nothing has happened. There no proper channel for the marketing of bamboo in the state but there are some e-shopping portals," Haobam Sukumar, Bamboo Forum of India coordinator and convener of the bamboo day celebration committee, told ANI.

"The cost of bamboo and transportation charge is much high in Manipur as compared to Assam and Tripura due to which they are doing very well," he added.

The World Bamboo Day was first celebrated on September 18, 2009, at Prachan Buri, Thailand during the World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok. It is observed every year to increase awareness of bamboo globally to protect natural resources and the environment.

The main aim behind the celebration is to ensure sustainable utilization and promote the cultivation of bamboo for industries in regions around the world, as well as promote its usage locally for community economic development.