In an attempt to bolster the development of the bamboo sector, the state of Tripura has introduced India’s first bamboo park. By Naina Atri
Under the umbrella of the Tripura Bamboo Mission, the state government has launched its latest initiative, a bamboo park, which is said to be the first of its kind in India. Spread across 64 acres, the purpose of the park is to celebrate the woody evergreen plant, which for aeons has been intrinsic to the lives of natives of the state. It symbolises the importance of utilising local and rural resources to develop sustainable livelihoods while also keeping environmental conservation at the heart of any plans.
The park is located 20 kilometres west of Agartala in Katlamara. With state-of-the-art infrastructure, the bamboo park features a multi-purpose bashgram, a bamboo village, to augment eco-tourism in the region, with special attention paid to attracting yoga and nature enthusiasts. Along with bamboo cottages, the village area, developed by architect Manna Roy, also has a yoga centre, a playground, and ponds, along with 14 species of bamboo. Visitors at the park can also climb up the watchtower to get a panoramic view of the green expanse. The centrality of bamboo to the state will be further emphasised with the setting up of a museum in the near future, reports The Sentinel Assam.
The bamboo-rich state has been steadily looking for avenues to expand on opportunities available to artisans beyond basketry, from developing the world’s first bamboo cricket bat to the bamboo leaf tea and rice. With approximately half of its land covered with evergreen and moist deciduous forests, Tripura has deep potential for becoming a premier eco-tourism hub, and the newly-created park seems to be a step towards the same.
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