This was stated by the Chief Minister O. Ibobi while attending as chief guest of a function at Officer’s Club, Lamphelpat for the distribution of laboratory equipments worth Rs.1crore to 57 schools in the state which are enrolled as Department of Biotechnology, Natural Resources and Awareness (DNA) clubs schools.
Chief Minister further stated that the very programme will fill up the lack of equipments meant for technical purposes in the schools as well as inculcate knowledge on natural resources.
Mentioning that Manipur is facing an acute and major shortage of power, he asserted that the construction of Tipaimukh dam will solve Manipur’s electricity problem to a large extent. He also urged the public to acknowledge the necessity of developmental projects like the Tipaimukh dam stating that the pressing and primary needs of the population should be understood. He said without consistent power supply, setting up of any entrepreneurial establishments or industries in the state is impossible.
He stated that there are two aspects associated with many big undertakings like the Tipaimukh power project. Though, the acute power shortage in the state can be sufficiently tackled with the construction of the dam he cautioned that possible impact on our ecological system has to be investigated thoroughly first.
There always arises a need to review and check eminent danger of compromising on our ecology and resources before every major infrastructural development.
Further, he lauded the initiatives of CSIR: NEIST stating that the distribution of various laboratory items to different high and junior high schools of the state will be greatly benefiting.
The function was also attended by L. Nandakumar Singh, MLA, and Dr. P.Gangadhar. Rao, director, CSIR: NEIST, Jorhat, Assam as the president and guest of honour of the today’s function respectively.
The equipment distribution programme organized by DNA clubs is sponsored by the National Bio-resources development board of the department of biotechnology, New Delhi to promote deeper awareness about bio resources and to enthuse students about roles of biotechnology in their sustainable utilization especially in the north east region under the prime minister’s 100 days programme.
Out of selected 361 schools in the north east, 57 schools are from the state. Some of the equipments that were handed over to the respective school authorities include 570 compound microscopes, 171 dissecting microscopes, 114 herberium press.