In a move to sensitise and motivate the people involved in shifting cultivation in Tengnoupal district on better livelihood for sustainable development, a two-day workshop on “Empowering Jhumias with secure livelihood: A challenge of Ecological Governance” was inaugurated at the trade centre hall in Moreh, the border town of Manipur on Saturday.
Moreh is said to be India’s gateway to south Asian countries.
Former member NE region vision, DoNER, Government of India Professor N Mohendro Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner N Bankim of Tengnoupal district, Deputy Director Dr T Brajakumar of Directorate of Environment, representatives of Moreh based civil society organizations attended the inaugural function of the workshop.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Mohendro said that livelihood of the villagers involved in shifting cultivation has been affected tremendously (because of the changing development and urbanization process across the state).But those involved in jhum cultivation cannot become traders overnight, it will take time.
Competition is also very tough with the proposed arrival of government’s Act East policy in the region particularly in Manipur’s Border town Moreh.
Considering all these aspects, Prof Mohendro appealed to develop unity among different communities residing at Moreh foregoing the differences to protect the natural resources for future generations while taking up development activities.
“You cannot take up development activities in isolation as development needs connectivity,” he added.
In his speech, Additional Deputy Commissioner N Bankim of Tengnoupal district stressed the need to do the needful for a better livelihood.
On the other hand, Deputy Director Dr T Brajakumar of state Environment Department highlighted the activities taken up by the state Environment department in association with 20 concerned line departments,25 non governmental organizations experts and others since 2011 to frame 154 action plans to deal with various kind of livelihoods and other climate change issues under eight different sectors.
He also expressed the need to revise the state action plan on climate change for the future. To revise the action plan, he sought comment, opinion, experience and suggestions from the concerned stakeholders including the general population in the day’s workshop which is scheduled to conclude on Sunday.
Chief Conservator of Forest Mahendra Pratap Singh of Forest department, Managing Director Th Joykumar of Thangjam Agro-Industries, Chingmeirong in Imphal, HOD Economics Prof Amar Yumnam of Manipur University and other experts in diverse fields including Assistant Professor G Bidyalaxmi were the resource persons present on day one of the workshop.