‘Bring experts on board for boost to bamboo’

Nagpur: The latest technological developments and patronage offered by the Union as well as the state government by freeing bamboo from the clutches of forest officialdom are seen as a big positive for the nascent bamboo industry in the country. But unless non-official, independent experts are involved and effective hand-holding done, there is no way the bamboo sector realizes its potential.

Sunil Joshi, president of Bamboo Society of India's Maharashtra chapter, when asked how the sector was doing after recent measures like exempting non-forest bamboo from transit pass regime all over the country, expressed the views that a good start now needs to be guided in the right direction. Joshi had also attended a review meeting on bamboo called by Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on December 5.

He said the Delhi meeting discussed the latest situation and plans for framing a new bamboo policy. "But what I observed was that the meeting had poor representation of private experts or independent members who have been working in the field for ages. This is very sad, because unless non-official experts are brought on board the bamboo movement would collapse as it had in the past," said Joshi.

Citing the case of Maharashtra Bamboo Development Board, he pointed out that even here the Board is being run by those drawn from forest department. "There is nothing against them, in fact the current chairman T S K Reddy is a well-meaning person. But these forest officials who sat over bamboo for years lack the necessary expertise and will not be able to impart the dynamism to this virgin sector.

Joshi pointed out that there is scope for inducting three or more private members on the state bamboo board, but this has not been done. "For 25 years we have been pushing for promotion of bamboo. Now that thanks to the help rendered by Union transport minister and city MP, bamboo has been backed at the top level and PMO has taken cognisance of its potential. But the movement should not go haywire," Joshi cautioned.

Giving instance of how lack of expertise could damage the sector, he said the state board's endorsement of garment produced by some entrepreneurs claiming it to be of bamboo origin was misdirected. "Garments made from viscose, synthetic rayon cannot be passed off as natural bamboo fibre. Viscose even produced from wood or any biomass is highly polluting because of chemical process applied. Procuring natural fibre is not easy. Till date the only place it is done is at a Kerala temple where it is done traditionally by a tedious manual method. If independent experts are involved in policymaking and running of boards, such mistakes can be avoided," he added.