Let’s conserve forest and get benefit from it – Joykumar
IT News
Imphal, August 22:
Central Forest Division Mantripukhri, with the help of ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth, today launched the “Spring Water Harvesting Unit” at 8 different places in Manipur to provide potable water all year round. The 8 different places where the units are installed are at Phayeng, Kameng, Kangla Siphai, Morok Ingkhol, Taorem, Chapphu Uppi, Nongpok Achiba, and Nungshum Maril. The said initiative was launched by L.Joykumar, Chief Conservator of Forest TP-1(CCF).
The inauguration of the “Spring Water Harvesting Unit” at Phayeng was attended by L. Joykumar, Chief Conservator of Forest TP-1 (CCF), RK Amarjit, DFO Central Forest Division, Siva Veimy MFS, ACF Central Forest Division, Prabir Ningthouja, Range Officer Nongmaiching Range, K Raghu Singh, Range Officer Sawombung Range, Ng Ratan, Range Officer Sadar East, Jorbid Meitei, Range Officer Head Quarter Central Forest Division, Mobi Retd. Range Officer, Rishi, ICICI Foundation, and other staff of ICICI Foundation, along with Ex-Pradhan of Phayeng, Gojen.
L Joykumar CCF TP-1 lauded the efforts of Phayeng in preserving forests in and around Phayeng area. He said,” It is commendable what the Forest Protection Committee of Phayeng, which comprises 60 members, has been doing in preserving forest areas. With this, streams flowing in and around the hills of Phayeng are now flowing perennially. The waters which are flowing in these streams are potable and don’t pose any health risk to humans.” Joykumar appealed to the people to preserve forests so as to get water all year round, and there will not be any scarcity of water if forests in and around our surroundings are protected.
This project has already been started successfully in other places before. Earlier, there was water scarcity in places where forest areas had been deforested. But with these initiatives of the Forest Department, with the help of villagers, certain forests have been saved from deforestation, and streams that have dried are restored, giving potable water, Joykumar added.
DFO of Central Forest Division RK Amarjit said, “ The places where today’s Spring Water Harvesting Unit” have been inaugurated are full of greeneries with lush green forest. The Spring Water harvesting Unit, which is installed at different places, has 3 water tanks each, where 2 tanks are installed at the hills and one tank at each Leikai as Distributed Tank. The water which is provided by these tanks is properly filtered sans chemical presence and doesn’t pose any hazard to human health. Now, people living in the locality are now able to get clean and potable water anytime all year round.”
Amarjit added, “Phayeng has been one of the first Carbon Positive Village in India. It is a pleasure to get the opportunity to work in such a place. The water which the people are getting is not ordinary water but the fruit of conserving the forest.” He further appealed to the villagers gathered at the inauguration ceremony to use the tanks properly and to further conserve forest so as to get a continuous supply of clean drinking water.