Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 15
46 species of bamboo are known to exist in Nagaland and about 5% of the total growing stock of the country is estimated to be available in the state. According to the newsletter of the Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), 6472 hectares of scientifically managed plantation was taken up during 2006-2007. 7500 hectares were targeted for 2008 while 50,000 hectares is the target for the next five years. The agency also stated that 34 bamboo clusters have already been established covering 185 villages.
The Village Bamboo Development Committee formed in each cluster of a village, are actively involved in the process of bamboo development activities. Recently, the NBDA exhibited various bamboo products at the ‘state road show’ in Longleng which evoked positive response.
The focus-areas of the NBDA include awareness-generation and community sensitization; formation of bamboo clusters, skill upgrading activities, trainings and capacity-building; technology sourcing and dissemination, propagation of scientific methods for bamboo resource management and undertakings for planned plantation of commercially-viable bamboo in the state.
Further, focus is to be given on support value-added entrepreneurial activity, market networking and development; popularizing bamboo constructions and applications; formulation, implementation and monitoring of schemes for development of bamboo in the state for resource as well as enterprise. Bamboo handicrafts are integral to the Naga way of life in view of their traditional application, the newsletter stated. With a view to revitalize handicraft and its development, the agency has conducted various trainings focused on design, quality and productivity tuned for market requirements. 11 handicraft SHG clusters have been identified and established while a consignment sales’ depot has been set up at the Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre to facilitate marketing for handicraft.
Currently, the state has a Bamboo Sticks & Splints Production unit at the NBRC for incense sticks, Venetian blinds and tooth picks with an installed capacity of 300 kilograms per shift. A Venetian blinds unit has been set up with production capacity to produce 40 square meters per day. Also, the newsletter said, bamboo charcoal is a product with wide-ranging uses in domestic and industrial applications. Its larger surface area makes it a preferred medium for filtration purposes compared to other charcoal. It can further be used as a raw material for activated carbon, the newsletter added.
The NBDA with support from the National Mission on Bamboo Applications, New Delhi, has set up 45 bamboo charcoal production kilns across the state with an installed capacity to produce 11.15 tons of bamboo charcoal per day with specific focus on bamboo-flowering areas.
The agency has also set up a charcoal briquette unit at its NBRC complex in Dimapur and has an installed capacity of 400 kilograms. Charcoal and briquettes from the units are currently available on sale, the newsletter said.
Similarly, a vacuum impregnated bamboo treatment plant unit has been set up at the NBRC. Treated bamboos are currently available at the unit. Further, the newsletter stated that the state has at present 2 bamboo shoot canning units, one fermented shoot processing unit and a vacuum packaging unit. Production of bamboo mats for bamboo mat boards is taken up as a community enterprise by the Anaki cluster in Mokokchung district. The activity is currently generating Rs. 36 Lakh per annum to the five cluster villages, the newsletter added.
