Bamboo mission launched

The science and technology ministry today launched a 'bamboo mission' and announced that it would initiate a process for amendment of the Indian Forests Act to bring bamboo out of the definition of a "tree".

"The National Mission on Bamboo Applications (NMBA) is a technology mission that aims at encouraging the development and commercialisation of bamboo products through value addition, generating employment and wealth in the process," Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters.

Bamboo had applications in various areas such as low-cost earthquake-resistant housing, flooring, fibre glass, wood substitutes, composites, and energy, he said, adding it also had the potential for being used as food.

Stating that India was a pioneer in the area of energy generation using bamboo, he said the cost was only Rs 1.60 per unit. The technology had been mastered by the Indian Institute of Science.

Sibal said the law categorises bamboo as tree while his ministry believes it is "grass". Besides the agricultural ministry also differs on its definition as a tree.

"We will seek an amendment to the Indian Forest Act so that bamboo is exempted from the definition of a tree just as eucalyptus has been," he said. In the current situation cutting and transit of bamboo is a punishable offence.