Imphal: The Manipur government organised a tree plantation drive along the Lanva River at Angels’ Place in Churachandpur, with officials and volunteers planting 100 saplings as part of efforts to restore the river ecosystem.
The drive was organised by the Churachandpur District Administration under the themes “Green Today, Brighter Tomorrow” and “Plant Trees – Clean Air – Better Tomorrow” to increase the district’s green cover.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner Krishna Kumar said rivers are vital to local communities, supporting livelihoods, irrigation, drinking water and cultural practices. He called for a collective effort involving youth organisations, civil society organisations, village chiefs and line departments to protect the Lanva River.
Kumar said Sub-Divisional Officers from Churachandpur, Tuibong and Singngat, along with the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mualnuam, would coordinate community-led efforts to protect the river.
He identified encroachment as a major threat to the Lanva River and stressed the need to restore traditional water bodies, wetlands and ponds to support the local ecosystem.
The Deputy Commissioner also urged the media to support awareness efforts and said consultation meetings with community stakeholders would be held to strengthen the initiative.
The plantation drive was attended by Divisional Forest Officer Abhijit KV, ADC CEO Shokhongam Baite, various SDOs, the Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency and other district-level officers, along with forest department personnel and local volunteers.