Imphal, August 24: Inspite of the fact that manipur is home to a large variety of plants having medicinal value there is no definite Government plan or institutional initiative to protect these plant varieties many of which are facing the prospect of extinction owing to unchecked exploitation.

This came to light during the course of a survey conducted by the Sangai Express wherein it was clear that in case of lack of initiative by the Government these valuable plants would be wiped out from the surface of the State's geographical area.

The apprehension is even more disturbing to learn that there is ceaseless exploitation of plants having curative value as random plucking and extraction persists.

ironically, despite absence of plan to protect these plants growing in the wild hefty amount is being spent by the State Government to grow medicinal plants with the setting up of State Medicinal Plant Board since 2004-05 .

Atleast two Government run Boards have been set up to look into plantation of medicinal plants namely State Medicinal Plant Board and State Bio-diversity Board with the former being transformed from the erstwhile Indian System of Medicine and Homoeo-pathic Society.

Under the medicinal plant board Government-recognised agencies supply saplings of medicinal plants to NGOs for plantation but without any provision for protection of similar plants that grow in the wild.

In the case of the Bio-Diversity Board, sample collection of medicinal plants found in the State and studying its curative value to human beings are the main objective of its existence.

This Board too has no guideline with regard to conservation of endangered plants found in plentiful at several parts of the State.

As there is no well defined plan/policy for the plants' protection it automatically comes under the sole ambit of the Forest Department as the guardian for such plants are scattered in the wild.

Speaking on condition of anonymity an official of the State's Forest Department confided that there is specification in the department's manual for maximum care in conservation of medicinal plants that grows in reserved area but nevertheless, expressed that it should be the responsibility of the State established Boards on the protection aspect.

Further informing that the entire forest land in Manipur is covered by 10 divisions of the Department out of which only three divisions namely Central, Thoubal and Bishnupur divisions cover forest tracts in the valley.

Opining that there should be a viable programme for conservation of all types of medicinal plants found in areas covered by the 10 Forest divisions, the official conceded that Forest Department alone cannot guarantee protection of these plants while strongly suggesting that State Government needs to chalk out stringent measures at the earliest to sustain availability of medicinal plants.

Highlighting that commoners randomly plucking and uprooting valuable medicinal plants is the immediate threat posed to survival of these plants, the official urged all concerned to chip in for expansion of growth of medicinal plants.

Among other cases a recent trend had been witnessing in Senapati district where villagers of Heibung Purul and Oinam have been selling a particular variety of medicinal plant in the open market which many believe have properties to cure certain ailments of lungs, liver, intestinal and nasal problems besides throat and breast cancer.

As the said plant variety is being uprooted and sold there is strong possibility of the plant vanishing for once and all in case immediate and futuristic measures are not taken up.

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