Pfoshuo Ariicho
December 13
DIMAPUR (MExN): Bamboo, one of the fastest growing plants on the earth and also one of the most available and cheapest materials has been a blessing for India’s North Eastern states, especially Nagaland with a large area covered by bamboos. The bamboo-covered area in India has been estimated at 8.90 million hectares out of which 5% are available in Nagaland.
Now, in a developed world, where every country has fallen short of forest resources has turned to bamboo as a material of the future (an alternative). With the objective to generate income and conserve forest, the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA) in collaboration with the National Mission on Bamboo Application (NMBA), New Delhi and C.P. Consultants, New Delhi has constructed bamboo charcoal kiln (3 Kilns)in Common Facility Centre (CFC) Dimapur. It is the first of its kind in Nagaland and the third place in India where kilns has been constructed after Madhya Pradesh (2 Kilns) and Manipur (5 Kilns). T.N.Banerjee, General Manager C.P. Consultants, New Delhi said that the main objective of the programme was to preserve the forest. The charcoal produced from bamboo and wood are same said Banerjee and added that the cost of constructing kilns and producing charcoal are economic. The charcoal can be used in agriculture as organic manure and the microorganisms in the soil can improve the vigor of the soil said Banerjee. It can also be used as raw material for activated carbon, medicinal use, deodorization, water clarifier, shield of electro magnetic waves, it absorb poisonous gas etc said the General Manager. He said that the next kiln would be constructed in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam.
In the ongoing programme, training is also being given to bamboo cluster members from Jalukie, Wokha, Tuli and members from around Sovima. N.I.Kumzuk, Member NBM-IT said that the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency would concentrate in the entire field that bamboo could be utilized and added, “we want to make bamboo a viable income generating source for the people of Nagaland. Referring to the ongoing training on bamboo charcoal, he said that the NBM-IT would assist the members and that it would provide kiln to the interested candidates provided that they bring the raw material. The NBDA, which has been the facilitator for the development of bamboo, said that it would give practical training and also find the market to sell the charcoal. He told The Morung Express that the National Mission on Bamboo Application (NMBA) has approved to set up Activated Carbon Factory at Ganeshnagar, Dimapur and that the NMBA has assured the required funds to the NBDA in bamboo implementation. He further told that NBDA would start Bamboo sliver machine, Bamboo Treatment Plant and Bamboo ply making machine.
