The Kochila forest in Phulwar village. Picture by Ajit Kumar Verma

Motihari, March 31: A rare forest of medicinal herbs and trees that once stretched over 20 acres of land in East Champaran is on the verge of extinction because of continuous felling over the past few years.

This rich herbal deposit — Kochila forest in Phulwar village under Chhauradano block — had plants of over 1,000 different species. But at present, plants of around 50 varieties exist. In spite of several people’s faith in ayurveda as an effective remedy to diseases without side effects, the local administration has failed to check the felling of the herbal trees.

Though the local administration had lodged cases against tree-fellers between 1976 and 1992, they failed to take any positive step to save the herbal deposit in the district.

Bishambhar Pathak, the acting principal and the head of the department of toxicology at RNM Ayurved College, said: “Apart from a large number of herbs useful for treating dengue, diabetes, blood dysentery and equally effective for lung and heart troubles, the herbal forest has Kochila trees, which are believed to be highly effective in the treatment of paralysis, gout, arthritis and sciatica pains.”

Pathak said: “Kochila is basically a kind of poison that is mainly used as a spinal irritant in diseases caused because of weakness of nerves.”

Former forest and environment minister in the NDA-I government Ram Chandra Sahni, who also held the Sugauli Assembly seat, said he did not know about the herbal forest in the district. The Chhauradano block development officer, Murari Prasad, also expressed his ignorance about the forest under his block.

Pathak said: “It is shocking that even Rajendra Pratap Singh, who was a cabinet minister for most of the time between 1969 and 1985, failed to preserve and protect this herbal deposit in public interest.”

Chief minister Nitish Kumar has tremendous faith in herbal treatment. His official residence, 1 Aney Marg, is now full with herbal plants. The health-conscious Bihar chief minister walks by the plants every morning. His father was a famous vaidya (ayurvedic healer) of his time. Nitish’s father used herbs and plants to prepare medicines.

Against this backdrop, the residents of the area expect the present regime to initiate steps to punish the people felling herbal trees having medicinal values. They also want the Nitish-led government to protect the Kochila forest.