Students at the geography exhibition at Patna University on Friday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb. 11: Patna University’s geography department, which is celebrating its diamond jubilee year, is going to organise a series of events, including the construction of a herbal park within the department premises.

The geography department considered as one of the best departments of Patna University. Rashbihari Prasad Singh, the head of department of geography, Patna University said: “As a part of the diamond jubilee celbrations, the department is organising a series of events which started on January 28 this year.”

Talking anbout the herbal park plan, Singh said: “The main aim behind setting up the herbal park is to educate students about the medicinal values and qualities of these plants.”

The park will have different varieties of medicinal herbs. As part of the course curriculum, students were earlier taught about trees which grow in arid and semi-arid conditions. The decision to set up the herbal park at the department was taken on the guidelines of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

The herbal park will be developed at a cost of Rs 4.5 lakh and already the university has released a sum of Rs 1.75 which has been used ni the construction of pathways.

The park will have three varieties of herbal plants — grown in tropical region, semi tropical, and sub-humid condition. The students would be taught the different features of the plants. The geography department on Friday also organised a model exhibition in which students from various colleges of Patna University took part.

Various innovative models were presented by the students such as a biogas plant in semi-urban area, greenhouse effect and also models on various tourist circuits in Bihar.

Students of postgraduate department of Patna University, who presented the model on tourist circuit in Bihar, told The Telegraph: “Our models depict the various regions which can be developed as tourists circuits having religious importance. The circuit includes Ramayan circuit which originates from Sitamarhi, the birthplace of goddess Sita, and covers other areas in Bihar having religious significance and related to the Ramayana period. Similarly, the circuit also includes Buddha circuit, Jain circuit and Sikh circuit.”

The exhibition inaugural function was chaired by R.B.P. Singh, former head of geography department MS University, Baroda.

Singh said: “I have a long association with the PU geography department as I have worked here for more than 15 years.”

Altogether 20 teams participated in two categories of events, which included model and poster exhibition.