PCC hardsells medicinal plants potential
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 13 2015 :
Pointing out that different species of medicinal plants are found abundantly in Manipur, Forest Department's Principal Chief Conservator Bala Prasad stated that sustainable exploitation of the medicinal plants for manufacturing medicines would be economically very profitable.
Speaking to media persons at his Sanjenthong office today, Bala Prasad appealed to one and all to conserve all the species of medicinal plants found in Manipur.
Efforts to conserve medicinal plants would be more fruitful if people understand the immense treasure hidden in forest reserves of the State and work accordingly.
Fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants found in Manipur, particularly those found in forests are organic produces.
Moreover, many rare species of medicinal plants are found in Manipur.
Conservation and sustainable exploitation of medicinal plants can generate more revenue for the State.
PCC Bala Prasad stated that maximum efforts would be invested to open a primary processing facility so as to exploit medicinal plants found in Manipur in sustainable manner.
Chief Wildlife Warden PN Prasad who was also present at the press meet observed that people of Manipur have been facing serious difficulties due to absence of market for selling medicinal pants.
At the same time, Government agencies have been working hard to check illegal trading of medicinal plants and orchids.
If people can identify all medicinal plants found in the State and cooperate with Forest Department in conserving them, then these medicinal plants would prove to be huge assets for the State.
A two-day national workshop on 'Sustainable development of medicinal plants sector in North East India would be held at RIMS Jubilee Hall on February 16-17 under the aegis of Forest Department and National Medical Board, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.
Officials of Medicinal Plant Boards of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura would attend the workshop and give presentations, PN Prasad said.
Potential of North East India in terms of medicinal plants would be deliberated at length at the workshop.
Ministry of AYUSH Secretary Nilanjan Sanyal, former Governor of Chattisgarh Shekhar Dutt, many high ranking officers, entrepreneurs, representatives of medicinal plant industry like Dabur, Emami, Natural remedies, Charak Pharma, Sami Lab etc and eminent resource persons from various institutes of the country have confirmed to participate in the workshop.
The workshop is intended to create a road map for the development of the medicinal plants sector in the Northeastern India, specially Manipur which has a comparative advantage due to its richness in medicinal plants and its overlapping border with Myanmar leading to easy access to the markets of BIMSTEC and ASEAN countries, Bala Prasad said.