Manipur: State Orchidarium under scrutiny, forest official demands urgent overhaul

In a significant move to strengthen eco-tourism and orchid conservation, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) & Head of Forest Force (HoFF) and Additional Chief Secretary (TCI and TA & Hills), Anurag Bajpai, IFS, conducted an extensive inspection of the State Orchidarium at Khonghampat, Imphal West today, April 13.

Accompanied by L. Joykumar, Chief Conservator of Forests (Territorial-I & Wildlife), and Vikram Nadhe, DFO (Central Forest Division), the visit aimed at evaluating current management practices and infrastructure in anticipation of peak tourist inflow during the orchid blooming season in May. DFO (Wildlife) Shri Th. Autumn, who is in charge of the Orchidarium, was also present during the review.

During the inspection, Bajpai expressed serious dissatisfaction over the maintenance and upkeep of the orchid collections, particularly those planted in earthen pots and ground plots. He noted the absence of proper labeling of species, inadequate moisture levels, and the lack of cleanliness and preparedness across tourist-facing infrastructure such as the interpretation centre, orchid display house, cloakroom, public facilities, trek route, and entry points.

He also highlighted the adverse effects of dust pollution from nearby National Highway construction and hill cutting on the sensitive orchid species.

In response, the PCCF & HoFF issued strict directives to DFO (Wildlife) to:

Ensure regular watering and maintenance using all available manpower, including gardeners.

Install proper signage for all orchid species without delay.

Begin urgent improvements to tourist amenities and horticultural infrastructure.

Develop a sprinkler-based moisture regulation system across the Orchidarium.

Further, the Chief Conservator of Forests (Territorial-I & Wildlife) was tasked with regular monitoring of ongoing and future activities to ensure compliance and long-term sustainability.

In a broader eco-tourism push, Bajpai directed the DFO (Central Forest Division) to develop an integrated trekking circuit connecting the State Orchidarium, Bambusetum, Arboretum, Biodiversity Park at Khonghampat, and Heingang Nagar Van including Polo Marjing, to create a comprehensive eco-tourism network within Imphal West.