Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday led a mass plantation drive inside the sacred Kangla Fort in Imphal.
The plantation site inside the Kangla fort was also named as new orchard ‘Nura Heikol‘.
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The day’s initiative was taken up as part of chief minister’s Green Manipur Mission which was formally launched on June 22 last. In the day’s event, around 700 indigenous fruit bearing tree saplings were planted in the drive organized by Kangla Board in association with Department of Art and Culture, Department of Forest and Directorate of Environment.
Observing that Langol forest and Kangla, both located in and around Imphal, 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, he opined that 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 informed that it was decided in a recent meeting of Kangla Board to plant 10,000 fruit bearing tree saplings inside Kangla alone, he said and added that he had advised the officials of Department of Horticulture and Directorate of Environment to plant the remaining saplings within a week.
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He also asked the officials concerned to assign an officer responsible for ensuring survival of the saplings.
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 that 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 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‘, he announced.
He also 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, Manipur Legislative Assembly 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.
Later, N 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.