Haldwani: Uttarakhand government has set up a Herbal Museum in Chamoli district in a bid to promote the conservation of rare and endangered indigenous medicinal plant species.
The museum has been set up by the Herbal Research Development Institute (HRDI), an autonomous body, said officials.
Chandrashekhar Sanwal, director, HRDI, said that there was a need for such a museum, following an uptick in the demand for herbal products across the world.
“Herbal renaissance is occurring is a global concept, as herbal products are considered safer than synthetic modern drugs. Looking at the importance of medicinal and aromatic plant-based natural products, HRDI has developed a national-level Herbal Museum at Mandal in Gopeshwar area of Chamoli district,” said Sanwal.
The museum has 36 medicinal plants such as Kutki, Kuth, Chippi, Gandrayan, Tejpatta, large cardamom, among others.
The museum aims to promote medicinal and aromatic plants, which are important for developing pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, herbal disinfectants, repellents and culinary herbs-based natural products.
Sanwal said that research and development activities have also been undertaken to develop various categories of traditional, medicinal and aromatic plant-based natural products at the museum.
HRDI is a nodal agency of Uttarakhand State Medicinal Plant Board, which was established at Gopeshwar in 1989 for conservation, development and sustainable utilisation of the valuable medicinal and aromatic plant resources of the region.
Uttarakhand, which is spread over 53,000 square kilometres (sq km), including over 46,000 sq km is hilly terrain, has over 7,000 species of plants of which more than 1,100 are of medicinal value.
The institute’s primary objective is to co-ordinate medicinal and aromatic plants activities carried out by various government agencies, farmers, research institutes, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other stakeholders.
The institute focuses on the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, survey and conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants, research on agro-technique, bio-diversity, biotechnology and genetic improvement of medicinal plants and many such activities.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday tweeted, praising the institute’s efforts to conserve medicinal species in the hill state and called it a useful tool for the youths and farmers.
