A national workshop on bamboo that concluded here on Tuesday stressed the need for planting bamboo saplings to restore the past micro-climate of the hill district, Wayanad.
Speaking after inaugurating the programme, Kreeti Shah, chairman, Habitat Forum (INHAF), an Ahmedabad-based non-profit society, said as the bamboo plants could play a crucial role in conserving water, the three-tier local bodies should take initiation for planting bamboo saplings on the banks of rivers and other waterbodies in the district at the onset of monsoon.
It would help not only to restore the micro-climate of the hill station but also to provide sustainable income to the rural folk, Mr. Shah said.
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Moreover, the recent studies showed that bamboo plants could lessen the impact of global warming, he added.
The programme was held in connection with the ‘Bamboo Log,’ a four-day Bamboo fest, organised jointly by URAVU Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre here and INHAF in Thrikkaipetta village.
The programme was organised in association with Forest and Tribal Development Departments, NABARD, and District Legal Service Society, envisaged to develop strategies and action plans to liberalise policy restrictions on bamboo, promote use of bamboo, and improve livelihood and income level of bamboo artisans.
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An exhibition held in connection with the programme showcased the scope of bamboo as a material for construction, furniture, and handicrafts.
A community centre and two eco-friendly houses constructed with bamboo as well as art installations on biodiversity conservation were the major highlights of the fest.