Morung File Photo
Chizokho Vero
Morung Express News
Recognizing Mithun as the pride of Nagas, the need to conserve and increase Mithun population and to make it as an engine for economic development has been stressed at the Mithun Festival 2012 here today.
Mithun, now adopted as the state animal, is the symbol of the state government.
Urging Mithun farmers to increase Mithun population in the state, MLA Dr. Nicky Kire, chairman, Nagaland Khadi & Village Industries Board also stressed on the need to have proper census on Mithun. He maintained that an individual owning a good number of Mithun is a status in the village.
He also stated that Mithun acts as special attachment to social, economic and cultural life of the people, especially in rural areas, and expressed optimism that rearing of Mithun will definitely boost the village economy.
Dr. C. Rajkhowa, director NRCM Jhanapani asserted that Mithun is not only a symbol of pride but it is a symbol of economic development. He said that Mithun can give good support to state economy, and requested the state government to make Mithun festival as an annual feature in the state.
The state’s veterinary & animal husbandry said Mithun is found in a few north eastern states and at present there are four defined strains in India, namely Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram strain. A few population of Mithun is also reported in Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Yunan province of China.
Mithun has got an important place in economic, social and cultural life of tribal people and owning Mithun is considered to be an indication of social economic superiority of an individual in the society.
Mithun milk by-products are considered to be the best and its skin is thick and can be split into 3 layers and considered as one of the best leather, while the farmers mainly rear Mithun for meat purpose.
As part of the government policy, Mithun rearing project was taken up in 27 villages during 2009-10 and 25 villages during 2010-11 under which bio-fencing, Mithun boys’ housing and financial incentives for five years, development of salt feeding yarn, animal health care etc. were provided to strengthen the objectives of conservation, development and propagation of Mithun.
The state government while discouraging jhum cultivation has identified the unique economic contribution of Mithun to be one of the best alternative crops to jhum cultivation, which will also directly or indirectly prevent global warming and climatic change.
In the form of future scope of Mithun rearing, the department maintained that Mithun can be considered as one of the nest alternative crop to jhum cultivation and also one of the best adaptive crop to climatic change, as jhum control crop it can also be a global warming control crop, a single Mithun having desired configuration fetches Rs., 50,000 to Rs. 90,000.
The Festival was marked by Mithun & other exhibits, cultural dance, farmers couple’s show, essay & art competition, farmers sports, seminar cum farmers interaction, western music and Mithun festival feast. It was jointly organised by Mithun project veterinary & animal husbandry, National Research Centre on Mithun (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), Jharnapani, Medziphema, Nagaland State Livestock Development Board and NABARD.
Dr. Kire also released a book on “Pictorial documentation of Naga Mithun while leaflets on “Mithun Project in Nagaland” and “Mithun festival & traditional ceremonial system of Mithun rearing at Phola village under Phek district” was released by Dr. C. Rajkhowa and Dr. N. Balaraman respectively.
MITHUN POPULATION IN INDIA
State 1997 2003 2007
Arunachal Pradesh 1,24, 194 1,84,343 2,18,931
Nagaland 33, 445 40,452 33,385
Manipur 16, 660 19,737 10, 024
Mizoram 2, 594 1, 783 1,939
