Governor Najma Heptulla, today, launched a national campaign on Medicinal Plants and inaugurated a one-day state level buyers-sellers meet on Medicinal Plants at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) House, Lamphel.
Addressing the function, the first lady Governor of the state said she prefer using Tulsi leaves instead of using plastic man-made flowers while offering flowers at any function.
Citing that she doesn’t encourage the use of plastics or imported artificial flowers, the Governor said she would be much happier if she is given tulsi leaves in any function she is invited to.
The Tulsi leaves are the purest form of nature with high medicinal value, she observed.
Heptulla also urged the organisers against the use of artificial flowers.
“We should be proud of what we have, why should we import and promote imported artificial flowers when Manipur is endowed with natural products,” she said.
Use of traditional herbs in treatment of medical patients is widespread in non-industrialised societies, the Governor observed adding, the Indian system of medicines popularly known as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and homeopathy are in great demand both in the country as well as abroad.
The medicinal plants sector, the Governor said, has immense potential along with sustainable agriculture by way of providing alternative sources of income to farmers which is particularly true in case of Manipur which falls within the ‘Indo-Burma’ centre of bio-diversity spots and has over 500 Medicine and aromatic plant species, she asserted.
However, at present, the supply chain of medicinal plants is highly fragmented making it less remunerative to both cultivators and collectors, she said observing there is urgent need to address the constraints and improve the situation, which has become an emerging issue and a challenge to the Manipur State Medicinal Plants Board.
The Governor said the multi-national companies like Himalaya and Dabur could also be attracted towards the medicinal plants in the state.
The objectives of this campaign such as market authorisation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and its products, good cultivation and collection practices, institutional linkages for promoting production and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants, to bridge the gap between buyers and sellers, agro-technology of selected potential Medicinal & Aromatic Plants and scope of post-harvest management of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants will surely achieve the target and translate into large scale benefit to the people of the State, the Governor observed.
Minister of Social Welfare Ak Mirabai, Horticulture Commissioner Thaithuilung Pamei and Chief Conservator of Forests Th Mohendra Pratap Singh among others also attended the function which was organised by Manipur State Medical Plants Board, Directorate of AYUSH.
The Governor also launched ‘brochure on National Campaign on Medicinal plants’ and poster of MSMPB ‘Searching of truth with love and purity with the essence of Lord’ during the function.
Source: Imphal Free Press
