Page 42 - 1 to 18 August 2020

Imphal Times Supplementary issue Page No. 2

BAMBOO: THE MAGIC GRASS

Cooperation rather than by: Oinam Naobi 60 billion dollars.In India,agarbatti management of production. well as industrial market.
Bamboo itself needs to be
PIB
industries imported around Rs 600
In health sector, extracted silica
protected.Special measuresare
crore worth of incense stick and
from bamboo and some other
confusion- need for new Bamboo has been rightly called raw agarbatti.Agarbatti is in high needed to prevent destruction chemical mixture are used in
demand
from diseases and termites. It has
Green Gold or Magic Grass. Its fame
of
the
national
in
treatment
approach of enforcement is well deserved: it is used as market.Bamboo furniture made by to be‘treated’ in a right way, lest it cough,bile,fever,leprosy and
food,medicine and as construction
the local artisan can sell locally or
loses its value and quality.
wounds.Bamboo ethanol can be
globally. It can be usedas school
used in handwash and hand
material, to name just a few of its
There are other important issues
he nation, as is in most places of the world, is under numerous uses. In a recent or office furniture.Its wide use in to keep in mind. Bamboo needs sanitizers.Bamboo produces
lockdown as part of the effort to combat the spread and episode of Man Ki Baat, Prime construction is well known. time to mature - almost 3 to 4 years. 10,000 litres per acres per year of
Ttransmission of Covid-19 which have hitherto managed Minister Shri Narendra Modi even Bamboo can be converted into Decorative items like bamboo ethanol. It is more profitable than
to infect more than 23,000 people in the country , and still counting. drew attention to it highlighting charcoal, purifier, vinegar, hand c u p s , t r a y s , m u g s , p e n sugarcane for producing ethanol.
Public curfew has been imposed and restrictions on travel and public the bamboo tiffin boxes of the sanitizer, bamboo ethanol etc.Post- stands,curtains etc. are in high Bamboo provides more oxygen
gatherings are in place. State police and security forces are working North East. While speaking at a Covid, lots of bamboo pulp will be demand in the market but the and wood than other plants.
overtime to enforce the government directives, while doctors and function of inauguration of Imphal required for bamboo toilet papers artisans are not able to satisfy the Therefore we need to plant more
other healthcare professionals as well as volunteers are at the water supply, PM said: and napkins. demand due to lack of bamboo plants, not only for our
frontline against this insidious threat, performing beyond their call “The northeast has the potential As for its potential, we must standardisation, proper finishing own lungs and heart, but also for
of duty and even risking their lives in the effort to contain and control to replace India’s Bamboo import understand the needs of and mis-management. They the health of our planet. North-
the deathly march. with local production. There is a commerce and the global markets. cannot produce in bulk because East has a great opportunity for
All these are measures and efforts to try and mitigate the damage huge demand for incense sticks in For example, the design has to there are no production clusters eco-tourism and health-tourism.
inflicted by the deadly virus on the public. And while the state the country and we import billions change for convenience of in Manipur. Assam has started We can establish bamboo parks
has been declared Covid-19 free after the two infected patients of rupees worth incense transportation and working on it in different districts. where the aged and people
were tested negative following treatment, the public has yet to sticks…Hundreds of crores of handling.Almost 30 to 40 percent In energy sector, bio-fuel plant, suffering from lungs and heart
realize the potential threat of an outbreak in this tiny state. A rupees are being invested under of bamboo handicraft work is done bamboo briquette,pellets are problems can stay for health
sense of desperation and inability to grasp the importance and the National Bamboo Mission for from the home of the artisans. This alternative to petrol, wood benefits.
the implications of the present situation is still very pronounced. Bamboo farmers, artists has to change. There is a need to charcoal and coal. It is not only a As we said, Bamboo is a magic
What has added to the confusion is the contrasting message of associated with handicrafts and form clusters and manage replacement of charcoal, it helps grass, the benefits of which are
the state government in allowing retailers of ‘essential’ other facilities. This will benefit the production in a proper way for reduce deforestation. The cost of immense if we orient ourselves to
commodities to open shop for a limited period while imposing youth of the northeast and the quality control and maximum bamboo pellets in the European harvest those benefits properly.
fine on the public for disobeying the lockdown. Evidently, the startups here,” he added. productivity. countries is Rs 40/kg even Prime Minister has drawn
present crisis will persist for a few more months, if not years, To understand Prime Minister’s Working with bamboo has not doubles in the winters. There is a attention towards its potential and
and there is a pressing need to formulate and implement a idea, consider the following facts: been an easy task because of lack rise in pellet demand of around 5%- now it is up to the implementing
systematic and pragmatic protocol for social behavior and bamboo’s global trade is around of technology, design and proper 13% in residential, commercial as agencies to take the idea forward.
interaction.
The exasperated expressions of the chief minister and the
security personnel are understandable, and until the public The message of the dead
comes to its collective sense, no amount of punitive action will
bring in the desired result. Perhaps a change in the approach of
community policing can be experimented, such as creating The bodies burnt turns to ashes, and those that are buried kisses and
community immersion through a variety of ideas including
reintroducing or elevating earlier community policing models. ends up with the soil underneath.
Forming community partnerships and coalitions with community
leaders can assist in building relationships where tension might I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. were utterly confused why. In the his effort, but what comes when
be forming. Involvement in community programs and Maybe if beliefs are essentially grave, the coffin laid still, the the system doesn’t give
neighborhood projects can bring the citizens together with police facts, then maybe we will live again lifeless body of a man: a opportunities to all. When one
to create a conversation to build unity. Security personnel can a life after we die –a life after death. husband, a father and a friend, seeks for luxury, it pains me and
become more cognizant of background differences and cultural But for now, I don’t know. I don’t who was dearly missed but baffles me to see one helplessly
sensitivity. Persons may become culturally encapsulated with know what happens to us after we forever gone. The pain and starving hard to survive. When
no intention of bias, but it comes from being so ingrained in die. All I know is that the dead have emptiness in his wife and the one seeks for power, it pains me
one’s own norms and erudition. It is important for peace officers a lesson for all. loneliness in his children makes to see one becoming a victim to
to be sensitive to the factors in environment and cultural The other day I was at a funeral, a me think that if I could, I would bring power and privileges he will
differences when communicating and interacting. Using more man who was in his fifties died of him back to life. never get to enjoy.
transactional model communication and active listening can prolonged illness. My friends and I And before the burial procession The pastor finished his prayer,
improve cordiality. Police officers often engage in linear By -Janghaolun Haokip were digging the grave. As I sat by started, I was watching at the coffin but the wife still called, and the
communication due to the nature of their work by giving orders the grave, staring down the depth and thought of the man. He was children still stood by the grave.
or commands. This model of interpersonal communication is Who knows where the dead go? of the grave, I was lost into alive, I thought, just like me but now If only the man could come back
effective in dynamic situations or circumstances where officers Who knows what remains of a thoughts. I was thinking about he lays in the coffin, still and lifeless. to life, but now the once loving
need to gain compliance immediately. life when one stops to breathe? death. I was thinking about life. How How simple is life when one moment husband and father could no
Communication from an officer is frequently used to steer Who knows what happens to do we simply come and go –live a can bring a change forever, when longer console.
someone in a certain direction which makes it very linear, often the bodies that are burnt and the life that we don’t know how to live one moment can separate us forever I learnt a lesson that day, “the
eliminating other factors which make interactions more coffins that are buried? Who and die a death we don’t know how as the living and the dead, each message of the dead”. This is the
transactional or two-way. Citizens want to be heard and they knows what happens to us after to take? I was lost in the thought of unaware of the other. Because the message of the dead that
want to trust the message. Therefore, when officers use active we die? Who has seen it? Who life and death, but my mind wouldn’t other night he slept with his family, everybody must learn: The old
listening and allow feedback to go back and forth in open can prove it? Who has gone to comprehend –why do we die, and but since that night, he will sleep and young, the wise and the
channels, their perception and contact experience leans more the Dead and came back alive? what happens to us then? with the cold and sing and dance ordinary, and the rich and poor,
positive than negative. Rapport building is part of this process Who has seen the soul? Or who In the grave, they brought the with the dark and the unknown. How death awaits us all. And nothing
as well and comes with opening up communication into a more knows they have one? lifeless body of the man. As the simply can death change it all? else that we worship is truly as
transactional model. Different people have different young men who were carrying the Life is simply unfair, or so I believe, much worth as to love and to live
The present source of the threat is one which does not stories and myths, and systems coffin lowered it into the grave, his because the man died simply while we can.
recognize or regard politics, caste, creed, religion or faith. of beliefs and creeds. But most wife was whimpering and reaching because he was poor. His house was It pains me to think that I will
Cooperation and not conflict is our only hope of surviving this of the major religions of the her hand out towards the coffin. His half standing and half ready to fall. someday lose a beloved, but I’ve
pandemic, and trust, respect and discipline are our greatest world believe that there is life children were silently weeping, Of course he had laid a foundation learnt to love them more and help
weapons. after death. Maybe or maybe not, holding their mother as if they to build his better house with all them live and help myself.
Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launches Krishi Megh
PIB Feature overall objective to provide more ICAR Institutes should be made 377 students (UG, PG and Ph.D.) R.C. Agrawal, Deputy Director and infrastructure needs of Digital
relevant and high-quality research centres of international who have received international General (Agricultural Education), Agriculture of National
Union Minister of Agriculture & education to the agricultural repute. He also stressed on training / internships along with the ICAR briefed about the main Agricultural Research and
Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra university students that is in tune providing the real time data to the training provided to around 120 objective of the programme. He Education System (NARES). The
Singh Tomar today virtually with the New Education Policy - researchers. faculty members in the various highlighted the development of the existing Data Centre (ICAR-DC)
launched the Krishi Megh 2020. Shri Tomar accentuated the Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union International Universities. He also KVC ALUNET that has been a built during 2012 shall be
(National Agricultural Research & need to save and preserve the Minister of State for Agriculture & stressed on maximizing the use of result of an idea of social strengthened with cloud
Education System -Cloud important research-based data in a Farmers’ Welfare complimented internet technology / digitalization. networking for the alumnus of the computing infrastructure.
Infrastructure and Services) along prompt digitized form to enable its ICAR for establishing the Krishi Dr. Mohapatra highlighted the Agricultural Universities. He 2. N A R E S - C l o u d
with the KVC ALUNET (Krishi access anywhere in any corner of Megh that integrates the ICAR- main features of the Krishi Megh stressed that this shall enable the Infrastructure and Services with its
Vishwavidyalaya Chhatr Alumni the country and the world. He also Data Centre at ICAR-Indian that is equipped with the latest AI alumni of all the 74 Agricultural constituents ICAR-DC and ICAR-
Network) and Online Accreditation stressed on enabling private Agricultural Statistics Research / Deep learning software / tools kits Universities in connecting with Krish Megh provide a robust and
System for Higher Agricultural investments in agriculture. The Institute, New Delhi with the for building and deploying of deep each other and making it possible dynamic platform to meet the
Educational Institutions (HEI). Minister regarded the Krishi Megh Disaster Recovery Centre at the learning based applications to assist the students in internship, growing IT needs of the NARES
The Union Minister emphasized as a step forward towards digital ICAR-National Academy of through image analysis, disease placements and to provide support system with the deployment of
that the Government of India-World agriculture of New India as has Agricultural Research identification in livestock, etc. He to their alma maters. mission critical applications such as
Bank funded National Agricultural been envisaged by Prime Minister Management, Hyderabad. The stressed that the Krishi Megh is a Mr Edward William Bresnyan, Task e-Office, ICAR-ERP, Education
Higher Education Project is Shri Narendra Modi. Minister regarded the initiative as new chapter in digital India Team Leader, World Bank regarded Portal, KVK Portal and mobile apps,
designed for strengthening the Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union a revolution in agriculture. enabling the farmers, researchers, the ICAR’s initiative as a game ICAR institute websites, Academic
national agricultural education Minister of State for Agriculture & Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary students and policy makers more changer that will bring a major Management System, Alumni Portal,
system in the country with the Farmers’ Welfare said that 2-3 (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) equipped with updated and latest transformation in the agricultural e-Courses of UG and PG level etc.
underlined about 58 Universities information regarding agriculture, education system. The senior 3. Under NAHEP, the out-
which have been supported in research, education and extension officials of ICAR and its institutes reach of existing ICAR Data Center
Letters, Feedback and Suggestions to ‘Imphal Times’ various categories under the in digital form generated by ICAR also virtually participated in the is broadened to cover the Agriculture
can be sent to our e-mail : imphaltimes@gmail.com. For advertisement ICAR National Agricultural Higher institutes and State Agriculture programme. Universities enabling them to host
kindy contact: - 0385-3590330 (O). For time being readers can reach the Education Project (NAHEP). The Universities. Key Features of Krishi Megh their websites and IT solutions.
office at Cell Phone No. 9862860745 for any purpose. Director General highlighted about Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. 1. For meeting the services (Contd. on Page 4)