Mole hills to be preserved : Biswajit

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 25 : Saying that the Government has decided to to preserve mole hills located across Manipur like Heibok Ching, Forest and Environment Minister Th Biswajit has stated that the initiatives being taken up to conserve forest is not targeted against any community.
He made the statement while attending a tree plantation programme held at the surrounding areas of Iputhou Koirou Lakpa Shanglen at Thongju.
Saplings of State's tree Unigthou were planted  during the function jointly organised by Directorate of Environment and Climate Change and  Iputhou Koirou Lakpa Committee (IKLC).
At the function, Biswajit said that the Government takes the measures being taken up to preserve Uning-thou very seriously.
Saying that Uningthou is associated with the history of Manipur, he added that the Government has decided to plant saplings of the tree across the State to preserve it under the supervision of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
On being asked whether the Government has identified mole hills in Manipur which are to be designated as Reserved or Protected Forest, the  Minister responded that  the State Government  is working at its level best to conserve forest areas. He also said that the impact of widespread defores- tation has been felt across the world in the form of climate change.
Saying that the Government will plant tens of thousands of Uningthou saplings across the State, he added that the Forest Department has  prepared about 40,000 saplings for plantation and the Chief Minister also arranged some saplings from his side.
Further stating that Uningthou was once widely used in building houses and making doors and windows, he added that there is no decrease in the value of the State's tree till today.
Heibok Ching was recognised as a reserved forest given the shrinking of different mole hills due to widespread deforestation and quarrying, he said and added that preserving the mole hills is important to check air pollution.
He also said that the environment of Manipur will be greatly affected if mole hills in the surrounding areas of Imphal disappear.
Continuing that the Government will take up alternative measures to relocate the people settling in mole hills while declaring them as Reserved Forests, Biswajit sought cooperation from the people in conserving forests.
To another query, the Minister who is also in-charge of Power said that the Government has been consulting with the officials concerned to make payment of electric recharge more convenient. He also said that the Government is considering increasing electric vending units to make electricity billing more easy to the consumers.
Smart metering system of electricity will also begin in Imphal, he said while continuing that installing of prepaid metres won't continue.
Director of Environment and Climate Change T Brajakumar, IKLC president Th Bubhon Meitei and Pradhan of Thongju Part-II Gram Panchayat N Kanon Chanu also attended the programme among others.