GUWAHATI, Dec 17 � The Boko Development Block authorities have grown som over an area of around 600 bighas of land in keeping with the centuries-old muga tradition of the people of the Boko areas. People of these areas have been growing som and producing muga yarn and cloth since the Ahom era.
It needs mention here that the som trees are the host plants for muga worms, which produce the muga cocoons. From the cocoons, the brilliant muga yarn is spun. Muga silk is acclaimed world over for its enviably sparkling golden colour. Som trees are indigenous to Assam and this has made the muga culture unique to the State.
Block Development Officer (BDO) of Boko Pankaj Chakravarty told this correspondent that the above venture has been undertaken on the land belonging to the Sericulture Department. It is done under a scheme launched under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Act (MGNREGA).
The Development Block authorities have set up five som nurseries under the scheme.
Chakravarty said that in each of the above nurseries, around 25,000 best quality seedlings are being grown.
The Development Block authorities have also sought to establish a muga institute at Boko under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). This institute is proposed to have reeling, weaving, training and production facilities. Powerlooms will be used here to produce muga cloth, Chakravarty said.
So far nearly 20 self-help groups (SHGs) have been selected to run the production centre of the institute.
The institute will also have a cocoon bank. Initially, around two metric tonnes of cocoons are planned to be stored in this bank. These cocoons will be supplied to the muga artisans at a subsidised rate, said the BDO.
It is expected that the work in this area could be started within the next about 15 days, he said.
