Gaya, Feb. 27: The forests and environment department has plans to set up a floral diversity park in Gaya.

A 23.54-hectare plot has been identified at Piparghatti village in Barachatti block along the Grand Trunk Road, around 36km south of Gaya district headquarters.

K. Neshamani, the divisional forest officer (DFO) Gaya, said: 'After the selection of plot, now the forest department is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the park. It would be finalised soon. The estimate to be involved behind setting up the park is being assessed but tentatively, the amount would be more than Rs 1 crore. The work on the project would start in the new financial year beginning April 2015. It would take around two years to get the work completed.'

On the objectives behind setting up the floral diversity park he said: 'Our aim is to have a collection of various rare species of plants found in different parts of Bihar, encourage plantation of medicinal plants, create awareness towards their conservation, impart training to the people about their properties and the uses. The park will prove to be a source of knowledge, research and training for those researching on plants. Not only the researchers and the students but also farmers, representatives of voluntary organisations and other common people will get scientific information as well as training about variety of plants, their properties and use.'

There will be a specialty nursery where saplings of different varieties such as fruit, flowering, medicinal, herbal and other plants would be prepared. The park will have a collection of these species at one place, which will also be available at government rates for people willing to plant on their farmland or in the garden of their house.

'We will provide training to farmers, women and interested people about the use of medicinal plants and their potential that would help them generate revenue by planting them at a large scale. Thus, the park will create opportunity of self-employment for farmers and other people and at the same time generate revenue for the department. The park will not function as a commercial centre and saplings will be available at government rates only,' the DFO added.

The park will have an administrative building, forest guesthouse, auditorium, cafeteria, training hall, he said.