Manipur’s hill town adopt trees in memory of village leaders, elders

In a first-of-its-kind initiative to save the trees and create awareness of its importance amid growing deforestation in Manipur, a village authority in association with the police has begun adopting trees around a marketplace area at Maram, a hill town, in remembrance of departed village elders, leaders and also institutes.

“The initiative to introduce the adoption tree is to give awareness to the different communities visiting the market. We believe that they’ll tell the story of what they saw in Maram Bazar (adopting trees in names of elders/leaders) when they go back to their respective places,” said Pungdi P Celestine, caretaker and chairman, Maram Bazar Village Authority (MBVA).

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Maram Bazar, located about 80 km north of Imphal in Manipur’s Senapati district, is an important commercial hub cum market junction for several communities, including Mao, Poumai and others, who reside in the hill town and nearby villages.

The adoption of trees in the name of the pioneer village elders and leaders is aimed to remember and honour those in the sight of the public and continue to celebrate their past lives, while adoption in name of institutions is to engage their staff to make them love trees and nature, the village authority said.

The adoption (of trees) in the name of civil society is aimed to encourage the community to advocate for a green environment in public places besides involving their members in such campaigns, it said.

So far 45 trees around the Maram Bazar were adopted while boards with slogans advocating the conservation of trees were also put up, said Celestine, adding the adoptees take a pledge to take care and save the growing trees in whose names the trees are adopted.

“Trees growing in the Maram Bazar Town are adopted in remembrance of village pioneers, elders and leaders who are no more besides the institutes is an effort to save the growing trees and propagate awareness on the importance of tree plantations,” said a former student leader.

“In the next phase, we’re planning to take up such tree adoption initiative in the premises of educational institutes,” he said.

On the adoption of trees in her father’s name in front of her house, Doibila Mazarello daughter of late Kuba Dominic, a church leader, said, “I feel grateful for organising such a campaign in preserving the environment because it encourages the community to plant trees-like my late father always encourage organic produce & greenery. That is the inspiration I felt about my father who always taught us and the community.”

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It may be noted that Manipur recorded the largest loss in forest cover (249 sq km), according to the biennial India State of Forest report, 2021.

According to the Global Forest Watch, from 2002 to 2021, Manipur lost 46.3 hectares of humid primary forest, making up 22% of its total tree cover loss in the same time period. The total area of humid primary forest in Manipur decreased by 8.1% in this time period.

Moreover, according to the state government, Manipur is presently reeling under a shortage of water supply after the drying up of the water sources including the Singda water reservoir which was the main water supplier of the population in Imphal areas, due to deforestation.