Biren leads mass plantation drive

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, June 25, 2019: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh, taking forward the recently launched Chief Minister’s Green Manipur Mission, led a mass plantation drive inside Kangla (cultural heritage site) here.

The green Manipur mission was launched on Saturday in Kangpokpi district.

Around 700 indigenous fruit bearing tree saplings were planted in the drive at Kangla.

The plantation drive was organised by Kangla Board in association with department of art and culture, department of forest and drectorate of environment.

In a recent meeting of Kangla Board it was decided to plant 10,000 fruit bearing tree saplings inside Kangla alone.

Biren said he had advised the officials of department of horticulture and directorate of environment to plant the remaining saplings within a week.

He also asked the officials concerned to assign an officer responsible for ensuring survival of the saplings.

The chief minister opined that Langol forest and Kangla are often regarded as the lungs of Imphal city because main oxygen supply to the capital city is done by the trees growing at these two places. As such, the government has a plan to grow more and more trees and develop thick forests at these two places and other areas, he added.

Stating that the Kangla Board had decided to change all the names of gardens, orchards and sites of Kangla into indigenous/local names, the chief minister said the Rock Garden located on the southern part of the fort would now be known as ‘Engellei Leikol’.

The site, where tree saplings were planted today (on tuesday) was earlier known as Biodiversity Park. This place would become an orchard within a few years, and as such it would now be known as ‘Nura Heikol’, Biren announced.

He urged the people of the state to extend full cooperation and support to the green Manipur mission and make Manipur green.

Art and culture minister L. Jayantakumar, revenue minister  Karam Shyam,  Deputy Speaker K. Robindro Yaiskul, MLA Th. Satyabrata, chief secretary Dr. J. Suresh Babu, DGP L.M. Khaute, commissioner (art and culture) M. Lakhsmikumar, Mutua Museum director Mutua Bahadur and former head of department (History) of Manipur University, Prof. N. Joykumar Singh were also present at the occasion.

Biren Singh also launched an LED display board run by Leibak Information Technology Pvt. Ltd., Khurai Thoidingjam Leikai at the western gate of Kangla. The LED board will display advertisement and information related to Kangla and other information including news.