11-year-old ambassador urges Manipur CM to introduce mission for wildlife conservation

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Sep. 13 (EMN): Brand Ambassador of Chief Minister’s Green Manipur Mission (CM’s GMM) Valentina Elangbam on Monday urged the CM to introduce another mission for the conservation of wild animals in the line of GMM.

Confirming this in a Facebook post on Monday, Chief Minister Biren Singh wrote,”Valentina Elangbam, Brand Ambassador of Chief Minister’s Green Manipur Mission called on me at my office today (Monday) and made a serious appeal to take up stringent legal action against illegal encroachments at protected areas & wetlands and wildlife/environment crime offenders and also made a suggestion to introduce another mission for the conservation of wild animals in the line of Green Manipur Mission”.

The facebook post of Biren Singh has also drawn the attention of many social media users, urging the Chief Minister to initiate a tiger reserve project in the state.

In a post, Divisional Forest officer, Kh Hitler of Tamenglong district wrote, “Hon’ble Sir, A Project Tiger Reserve may be initiated in tamei Sub-division Tamenglong district, Manipur as the presence of Tiger had been confirmed by the recent Tiger attacks to the domestic cattles in Kuilong part II”.

Eleven-year-old Brand Ambassador Valentina’s appeal came after the state Forest department installed camera traps at the Kuilong Part II village in Tamenglong district to capture the actual image of the suspected tiger which reportedly mauled three cows to death in July first week this year.

Velentina, who shed copious tears after two Gulmohar (Delonix regia) trees she planted four years ago near her home were cut down, was named brand ambassador of the CM’s GMM in August 2019, after her video, which went viral drew the attention of govt. and Chief Minister.

The CM’s GMM was launched on June 22 near Saheibung village in Kangpokpi district in a move to restore greenery across Manipur. Under the mission, an open gymnasium worth about INR 5 to 6 lakh will be installed in each village willing to give at least five acres of land for planting trees.

According to the India State of Forests Report, Manipur’s forest area in 2017 was 17,346 sq km, which is 77.69% of the total area of the state.