Muli bamboo flowering frightens people in Tripura

Agartala, Dec 4 (UNI) About 80 per cent areas covered with 'Muli Bamboo', a local species, in Tripura's South District have witnessed flowers causing a panic among the owners, according to forest officials here today.

At least four places under the districts Belonia sub-division had witnessed such flowering during last four to five years following which the forest department had already taken all precautionary measures including creating new bamboo cultivation gardens, sources said.

The forest department had closed the affected 'muli bamboo' gardens owing to flowering and planted new seeds in about 200 hectares of land in two divisions of the district.

Officials here said there is no reason to get panicked due to the flowering as the forest department had already taken up initiative for plantation in new areas.

A large number of people throughout the state depend upon 'Muli Bamboo' production, who earn a living by preparing incense sticks and supplying them to other states, mostly to South India.

However, the bamboo flowers which come in every fifty years is the major cause of concern among the people as the rodents, which increases following bamboo flowering, cause damage to the bamboo plants.

UNI PB PP DKS DS1425