North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council - C&B May 2005

One Day Awareness Programme

CBTC Staff — Sun, 01 May 2005 13:58:19 +0000

A One Day Awareness Programme titled Bamboo & Beyond organized jointly by NEC, CBTC and Roghurtook Club & Library was held at Karimganj on July 4, 2005. Among dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri Siddique Ahmed, MLA, South Karimganj; Shri P.P. Shrivastav, Advisor, NEC and Director, CBTC.

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C&B May 2005

Bamboo shoots set for overseas debut

CBTC Staff — Sun, 01 May 2005 13:58:19 +0000

Bamboo shoots have not only won the hearts of the people of North East but the food connoisseurs in different parts of North India, South India and several West Asian countries have also become addicted to it. In order to popularise this traditional delicacy of North East, the National Mission for Bamboo Application (NMBA) has spent nearly Rs.32 lakh for collection and scientific processing of bamboo shoot from Upper Assam and Nagaland. The NMBA has been providing technical support to entrepreneurs associated with the bamboo shoot industry. It has identified private firms that will market bamboo shoots within and outside the country.

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C&B May 2005

CBTC, Guwahati adjudged best in NE Expo

CBTC Staff — Sun, 01 May 2005 13:58:19 +0000

In the North East Trade Expo organised by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan on March 19, the Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre, Guwahati has been adjudged as the "Best for displaying most commercially promising product range". It was categorised under the Central Ministries/ Government Department/ PSUs in the Expo. A silver plaque and a certificate were awarded to the CBTC by the Union Minster for Heavy Industries, Shri Santosh Mohan Dev, at the valedictory function.

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C&B May 2005

Jharkhand plans to offer land for Bamboo cultivation

CBTC Staff — Sun, 01 May 2005 13:58:19 +0000

Adhering to the steps taken all over the world, especially the north-eastern India, for Bamboo cultivation, the Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation has submitted a proposal to its State Government for setting up bamboo based industries in Ranchi and Jamshedpur.

The proposal was presented during the Corporation's meeting with the forest and environment minister Harinarayan Rai. According to the proposal, the Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation would plant bamboo worth Rs. 1.9 crore in different parts of the State and establish two units, one in Ranchi and another in Jamshedpur to produce bamboo items. A- per the proposal, initial cost involved for setting up the units is pegged at Rs. 60 lakh. Sources at forest and environment department said the proposal is likely to be approved by the minister by the end of October this year. "Rai responded positively when the Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation managing director J. B. Johar was presenting the proposal", they added.

Johar admitted that it was for the first time they have presented such a proposal before the State Government. We presented the proposal keeping in mind the employment of local people. In case the proposal is passed and we get financial assistance for the same, many people will get job opportunities in different parts of the state", he added.

Johar further adds that the units in Jamshedpur and Ranchi will be set up on an experimental basis to attract people towards the bamboo industry. However, sources confirmed that the purpose of the units is to make the Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation functional throughout the year. "The Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation becomes almost non-functional after the business of Kendu leaf in summer", sources said. This situation has resulted in an increase of unemployed people in the region. Thus, if work in the field of bamboo starts, the Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation will be practically functional throughout the year and can then cater to the needs of the people by employing them.

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C&B May 2005

Green Guild - The World Bamboo Organisation

CBTC Staff — Sun, 01 May 2005 13:58:19 +0000

Bamboo industry has brought in a metastasis in people's Lives by providing greater dimension to one's choice while picking up accessories or household items from the market. From fashion world to a poor man's hut, bamboo has always created a niche in our lives.

The green diamond of the world, though has showed its presence before the advent of human civilisation, has brought in the people into the threshold of civilisation in a much more amiable manner. This has been further strengthened by the various world forums or bodies, who are currently working for the growth and development of bamboo as an industry and also acting as a mode of solving the unemployment problem prevailing in many bamboo rich areas. One of the chief organisations working in this direction is the World Bamboo Organisation.

Originally founded as the International Bamboo Association (IBA), the idea for industry practitioners was born out of discussions at the 1991 International Bamboo workshop. With the establishment of International Bamboo Congress in Japan in the year 1992, which co-ordinated platform for bamboo people around the world, consequently led to the union of the congress and International Bamboo Workshop that brought in the rebirth of IBA into the World Bamboo Organisation. It focuses on the promotion and support towards the use of natural resources through the development of partnership and alliances, and communication, information exchange, and technology transfer.

Supporting the cause, Ximena Londono from Columbian Bamboo Society says, "The World Bamboo Congress event is very necessary for the development and prosperity of the world."

In yet another occasion, Dr. Walter Liese, Scientist and Author from Hamburg, Germany points out, "I am since 50 years working for and with bamboo and know by real experience, however, for an uncountable number of people. We have had many Bamboo Congresses and that has resulted in bringing together the experience and results from workers the world over available. The formation of the WBO is most important in order to stimulate the world at distinct places and to organise a better communication and cooperation among others."

The World Bamboo Congress (WBC) is a unique event that encourages global interaction by providing a platform for direct networking and the sharing of ideas and information. Born in 1995 with the merger of International Bamboo Congress and International Bamboo Workshop, International Bamboo Congress & Workshop was formally reorganised into World Bamboo Organisation in 2003, and the International Congress & Workshop was re-named the World Bamboo Congress. During the last 15 years, the WBC has grown to attract nearly 400 participants from more than 30 countries around the globe, including world-renowned experts in bamboo designing, construction and architecture. The WBC has always been an ideal opportunity to meet and develop collaborative research and development, project or business development, while at the same time, advancing the social and environmental goals derived from various applications of bamboo.

Bamboo trade shows, cultural performances and other international events have contributed significantly to the evolution of bamboo sectors locally, regionally and internationally, and have without a doubt, raised the position of bamboo as not only a unique, a beautiful material with a rich cultural heritage, but as an alternative and viable national resource with a myriad of uses for today's world.

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C&B May 2005

Bamboo Wafer Board

CBTC Staff — Sun, 01 May 2005 13:58:19 +0000

Particle boards were first made around the time of World War II as there was a shortage of timber in Europe. They were widely used because the process enabled wood particles from relatively useless small and low grade timber to be transformed into useful large wooden panels. A product called wafer-board appeared in the market in the 1970's. It consisted of a random array of thin flakes about 50 mm both in length and width. The Oriented Strand Board (OSB) industry evolved from the wafer-board industry in the late 1970's as technology and investors caught up with this concept. From the time of its invention, research has been conducted into the effect of chip size, the raw material used, the three layer structure, the different methods of strand alignment and the effects of the alignment itself on the strength of OSB. The result has been the development of the commercial OSB produced by the industry today.

Why is OSB so special?

OSB is three times as strong as particle boards of the same density and resin content. Its three ply form has been described as comparable with Douglas fir plywood. It is an improvement over wafer board as it has its flakes, or strands, aligned. This alignment can take place because the strands are not dimensionally uniform, being only a third to a half of the width of those of wafer-board though approximately of the same length. The core flakes are aligned at right angles to surface layers. This is intended to mimic the structure, and consequently the strength properties of plywood. In other words OSB was introduced as an attempt to compete with plywood as a structural material while using a Low quality resource.

Bamboo Wafer Boards

Bamboo has many superior qualities compared to common wood and thus its processed products are also superior in specifications and has the potential to replace related wood based products. Many engineered bamboo products have been developed till date and are proving to be promising in terms of quality and price.

After long years of R & D, scientists and engineers have come up with a bamboo product called Bamboo Wafer Board (BWB). While manufacturing BWB, the yield of bamboo is very high and the glue consumption is also lower. As, glue is the main cost component in any bamboo board unit and next is the bamboo itself, the low consumption of glue and high yield of bamboo makes this BWB very cheap compared to those boards without compromising on quality. Unlike for wood, to obtain better quality specifications, one needs to produce OSB. But, for bamboo OSB is not at all necessary since BWB is quite strong, thereby keeping the project cost low.

BWB is one of the excellent engineering structural panels for interior and exterior applications. BWB has outstanding performances in load bearing strength under humid conditions, besides being termite and decay resistant, weather enduring, etc. BWB can be used as a replacement of wood based WB or OSB for various purposes both indoors and outdoors. BWB can also be covered with wood veneer, bamboo mat or plastic sheet or impregnated paper for super structures and vehicle floor.

The thickness of BWB can be made from 4 mm to 25 mm or more and size of 1220 X 2440 mm. Non standard sizes can also be made on request. Further, the density of BWB can be adjusted as per the requirement of the customer.

In conclusion, it can be said that BWB is an excellent substitute for wood based particle and wafer boards and OSB and at the same time, cost-effective.

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C&B May 2005