Green Manipur Mission brand ambassador appeals to save Angaan Ching Eco-Park

The brand ambassador of Chief Minister’s Green Manipur Mission, Elangbam Valentina, has appealed all to save Angaan Ching Eco-Park, a prominent centre for biodiversity conservation and ecotourism near the Kakching town in Manipur’s Kakching district.

In a video message posted on social media, Valentina wrote: “I feel sad when I see the trees planted on World Poetry Day 2021 at the Angaan Ching Eco-Park have been destroyed in the excavation of soil while building a shed for the ‘Eco Tourism Destination Project’. Some lemon plants besides the trees were also destroyed.”

“I came to know about this when I went to attend an eco-club gathering (on Sunday),” she said. “So I appeal to save Angaan Ching Eco-Park.”

It may be noted here that Valentina, then a 9-year-old girl in 2019 who shed copious tears after two trees she planted were cut down during work to clean the banks of a canal, was named brand ambassador of the Chief Minister’s Green Manipur Mission, after video of the girl crying went viral on social media.

It may be mentioned that Alliance for Development Alternatives Manipur (ADAM)- a Kakching district based voluntary organisation had been organising eco-club for school students at Angaan Ching Eco-Park on Sundays since the past 9 to 10 years.

Angaan Ching Eco-Park, which was once a barren hill under the name Angaan ching/Mahadeva Ching, turned into a greenery zone covering around 105 acres and become a kind of ‘lungs’ of Kakching township following continuous community led forest conservation initiatives led by ADAM with its supporters

Sharing a similar sentiment, ADAM in a press statement on Sunday said: “Unfortunately, some portion of the Angaan Ching Eco-Park (on the northern side) have been destroyed in the name of Eco-Tourism Destination Project, developed with funds from the Tourism Department in “violation” of the principle of sustainable tourism when the whole world is talking about sustainable development and the State Government under the able leadership of N Biren Singh is taking up an all-out efforts to save the forest and promote eco-tourism in the State of Manipur.”

The Angaan Ching Eco Park located near Kakching town was established by the ADAM Kakching in an area of about 105 acres at Kakching Khullen village under Kakching district since 2001-02 has now become a prominent centre for biodiversity conservation and eco-tourism.

With such encouraging ‘movements’ that involves youth and young students in pursuit of a greener and cleaner Kakching, regular Sunday eco-club activities was also taken up at its hilly premises every Sunday morning since 2004 to encourage individuals/groups particularly the young school children for protection and conservation of environment and also to understand more than 200 varieties of trees including many medicinal plants grown in its slopes. Imphal, March 8 (EMN)