Imphal, Sept. 15: The Centre will formulate an ?action plan? to control and check widespread bamboo flowering in the northeastern states.

This was announced by special secretary to the Union government and director general of forest, J.C. Kala, here today at the end of a two-day meeting of the Central Monitoring Committee on Gregarious Flowering of Bamboo.

Talking to the media, the Union government official said the participants at the conference had recommended the formulation of an ?action plan? for controlling bamboo flowering in the region.

Kala said the required funds would be procured from Union ministries like home and forest. He further announced that the Centre has decided to fell all the bamboo that have borne flowers and replace these with a new and useful variety of bamboo in the whole region.

He stressed the need for checking flowering in bamboo, which has tremendous importance in the economy of the region. Officials said half the raw material for the country?s various bamboo products come from the region. However, the bamboo production in the region has come down drastically in recent years due to widespread bamboo flowering.

The conference was attended by officials from the North Eastern Council (NEC) and chief principal conservators from six northeastern states.

Taking note of the lack of manpower in the Manipur forest department due to a ban on fresh recruitment, Kala said the conference has decided to urge the state government to relax the ban.

Sources said the state forest department requires additional 100 employees for its proper functioning.

The Manipur government had sent a project proposal worth Rs 36.28 lakh last year to the Centre to tackle the bamboo flowering menace. The hill districts in the state faced a famine last year after rodents attacked crops after consuming bamboo flowers, officials said.