Nagpur: The fastest growing plant species bamboo recently became the talking point in the town as the nation observed world bamboo day. To mark the day Maharashtra bamboo Development Board (MBDB) and Rotary Club of Nagpur Elite jointly organised a discussion session and workshop in the Forest hall here on September 18.
Taking his view point further, TSK Reddy, director of MBDB, said, “Bamboo is a magical species and it is the fastest growing species, once you get in touch, you get in love.”
While speaking on the topic – ‘Bamboo plantation in Vidarbha and its Evaluation’, Reddy said, Bamboo is an excellent water purifier, it holds the capacity to clean even saline water and also it is a great building material. One person consumes 280 kg oxygen per year and one clump of bamboo generates 360 kg oxygen per year. Thus, it gives 40 kg oxygen to the environment.
He added, “We have 128 species of bamboo in India. Maharashtra has bamboo varieties like katang, manga, manvel, thorny and chivari. Highlighting the use of bamboo he said it is used in construction work, handicrafts industry, paper mills, furniture ventures, farming tools and for domestic and commercial purpose. It is a great cooling material and can be used in buildings in hot regions like Vidarbha.”
MBDB is currently negotiating with State Bank of India to provide loans to the farmers who want to cultivate bamboo in their farms and SBI will soon be granting loans for this purpose for which talks are underway.
N Rambabu, managing director of forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra, Anand Fiske and Ajay Patil were present at the programme.
By Srishti Talwar
