Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 09 2008:
With the objective of promoting medicinal plants, the Forest Department of the State is all set to host a three-day International conclave on medicinal plants for Asean and Bimstec countries at Imphal starting from December 11 .
Addressing a press conference in this connection here today, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) S Singsit said "We are expecting participation of 11 countries including Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietman and so far nine countries have given their confirmation.
Besides representatives of these countries, 25 subject experts from different parts of the Nation will also join the conclave which is being supported by the National Medicinal Plants Board , Department of AYUSH under the Ministry of Health and WHO, he said.
In the technicial sessions, the experts will deliver talks on on different topics like marketing of medicinal plants-success story, sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants, research in medicinal plants, WHO's perspective of medicinal plants, expectation of Ayurveda industry and expectation of local traditional healers, etc, the PCCF informed.
There will also be business session and working group meeting, the PCCF said adding that an Imphal declaration will also be adopted in it, he added.
Pointing out resurgence of use of traditional medicine across the world, Singsit said according to an estimate of WHO in 2002, the global market of traditional therapy stood at 60,000 US million dollars and is growing steadily.
The conclave would go a long way in providing a road map for enhancing cooperation and much needed development of this sector among the member countries and promote trade of traditional medicine among them, he hoped.
Chief Conservator of Forest Bala Prasad, who was also present during the press conference said that during the conclave "we will discuss our common issues and common problems together so that a common strategy could be chalked out for development of medicinal plants".
"In Manipur's forest areas, our department has identified 12,000 medicinal plants of which 420 are being used by the local traditional healers," Prasad said.
"We are protecting both wild life and these plants in the wild life sanctuaries.
Besides this, we have also set up three medicinal plants' conservation areas at Kailm in Churachandpur, Khonghampat in Greater Imphal and one at Ukhrul district," the senior forest officer added.