City hosts exhibition on bamboo products

Mumbai, May 16 (UNI) A two-day exhibition-cum-sale on the theme ''Bamboo -- an eco-friendly lifestyle'' was inaugurated here today by Maharashtra Minister of Rural Development Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil.

The exhibition is dedicated to bamboo artisans and is being jointly organised by Nagpur-based NGO Institute of Village Enterprise Development for Handicraft Artisans (VEDHA), Bamboo Handicrafts Artisans Welfare and Network Association (BHAWNA), and Surya India.

Minister of Industries Ashok Chavan, Minister of Finance Jayant Patil and well-known architect Hafeez Contractor were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Contractor said, ''I am amazed at the way bamboo is used in countries like Korea, Japan and China. If this happens in Maharashtra, thousands and lakhs of people will get gainful employment. With large scale production more than 10 lakh people can be employed.'' Speaking to UNI, a bamboo artisan Sanjay Kachru Bihade said, ''I have been doing this work for the past 16- 17 years. I learnt it from my father who is no more. If we make one piece, we don't earn anything. But if we make 100 such pieces, there is money. Also one person will take time but if more artists are employed the work speeds up.'' UNI