Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 30 2021: ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Forest Department, Government of Manipur for establishment of eight Spring water harvesting units in Imphal East and Imphal West Districts.
The eight water harvesting units shall cater the drinking water needs of about 3000 households.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of this financial year.
The foundation had also funded three such units earlier, one each at Lamdeng and Kameng village of Imphal West District and Mongjam village of Imphal East District.
The MoU was signed by L Joykumar Singh, IFS, Conservator of Forests for Central Forest Division, Forest Department, Government of Manipur and Suketu Kumar, Head Programmes-Rural Livelihood and Value Chains, ICICI Foundation.
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ICICI Foundation signs MoU with Forest Department
The MoU was signed in the presence of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, Manipur, AK Joshi, IFS; RK Amarjit Singh, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Central Forest Division, Mantripukhri; Viba Veimy, IFS, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Central Forest Division, Mantripukhri; and Pumgouthang, Project Manager, ICICI Foundation, Range Officer Sawombung Nongmaiching, Sadar East and Sadar West of Central Forest Division.
Dipanjan Biswas, Zonal Head, East, ICICI Foundation also participated the event online from Kolkata.
Speaking on the occasion, AK Joshi expressed his gratitude to the ICICI Foundation for sponsoring such noble ventures which would serve the dual purpose of providing potable drinking water to the local people and protect & conserve forests in the catchment areas of adjoining Reserved Forest.
He mentioned that provisioning of water is one of the 35 main ecosystem services provided by forest and urged ICICI Foundation to explore the possibility of initiating interventions in the rests of the ecosystem services.
Meanwhile, officials of ICICI Foundation also informed that the model developed and adopted here on spring water shall also be emulated in other states of the Country as it is proving to be successful in the state of Manipur.
It may be mentioned that ICICI Foundation is also venturing on biofloc fish rearing in Lamdeng, Kameng of Imphal West and Mongjam area in Imphal East to strengthen the people of these villages economically.