The Hindu : Karnataka News : Promoting herbal medicines

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Promoting herbal medicines

Staff Correspondent

Siddha Sanjeevini Vanam is located at Namad Chilume
One lakh saplings distributed to farmers this year

TUMKUR: The Department of Forests has spent Rs. 3.93 lakh on promoting herbal medicinal system, according to a release here on Thursday.

In 2002, a Siddha Sanjeevini Vanam, an exhaustive herbal farm-cum-nursery, was raised at Namad Chilume in the Reserve Forest area of Devarayan Durga.

It is located 14 km east of Tumkur city. Funds were drawn from various schemes for raising the herbal farm. A nominal entry fee is levied on visitors to the farm towards the Namad Chilume Development Fund.

A stall was set up in the vicinity of the farm for exhibiting herbal medicines and organising sales. Information on each variety of herbs is displayed. A herbalist is employed to provide guidance in the preparation of herbal medicines and their use.

This year, over one lakh saplings of various medicinal herbs were distributed among interested farmers to help raise their own medicinal herbal farms in villages. A sum of Rs. 1.82 lakh was spent on raising these saplings.

The department organised 16 workshops in eight villages in the district and educated nearly one lakh farmers on the availability of various useful herbs in their surroundings and their efficacy. The farmers have been told about the importance of preserving forests for their good health and development.

With the help of 69 traditional herbalists invited from across the State and cooperation from BAIF, a rural development institute in Tiptur, the department published 2,000 copies of a book, “Hasiru Samrakshane Hasiru Arogya”. The publication cost Rs. 2 lakh.

As many as 779 copies of the book were issued free to key persons in social service and 482 copies were given to range forest officers to enable them to replicate the effort in their respective areas. As many as 640 copies were sold and Rs. 80,000 realised.

A handbook on practicing herbal medicinal system, “Vana Sanjeevini”, was published at a cost of Rs. 11,000. Of the 2,500 copies printed, 1,294 copies were issued to that many “Grama Aranya Samitis” in villages to promote cultivation and use of herbs. As many as 566 copies were sold and Rs. 14,150 realised.

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