Kendrapara, Aug. 11: Bhitarkanika national park authorities have decided to promote herbal gardens in villages that lie close to the wetlands.
People living close to the park may now grow herbs in their backyard with the support of the forest department.
“The forest department will provide herbal and medicinal plants free of cost to people under the home herbal garden project. Forest personnel will train the beneficiaries in growing and nurturing these plants. As herbs have medicinal properties, they will help people to treat minor ailments. Besides, growing these herbs will be helpful in protecting the delicate flora and fauna in Bhitarkanika,” said Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division.
Herbs that are recognised to have curative powers will figure prominently in the gardens. The forest personnel will guide the villagers in taking care of the gardens. They will also monitor the growth of the herbs while also educating people about their utility.
A 20-member team consisting of forest personnel from Bhitarkanika have already been imparted training by experts. The herbal garden project is a part of an ongoing eco-development programme in villages in the periphery of the forest. To reduce local settlers’ dependence on forest produce, alternate livelihood schemes such as apiculture, pisciculture and duck rearing are being propagated. The project had yielded varying degree of success in compensating occupational loss of settlers, Mahapatra said.
The department has spoken to the stakeholders about the home garden scheme and they have apparently evinced interest in it. It will be launched shortly.
As these areas are mostly isolated, government-sponsored heath service usually doesn’t reach the residents. Most of the health centres in these parts have no doctors. As a result, quacks run a parallel health service network.
“The herbal garden project is a positive step. Herbs have medicinal properties. For minor ailments, people can now use home-grown herbs,” said Pradeep Kumar Das, a local resident and lawyer.
