Naveen inaugurates Biju Patnaik Medicinal Plants Garden

Jeypore, Apr 15 (UNI) The tribal dominated Koraput region in Orissa has vast genetic resources of medicinal plants to cater to the needs of medicines across world, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.

Dedicating the Biju Patnaik Medicinal Plants and Garden and Research Center at Makaput near here today, Mr Patnaik said the tribal areas in Orissa were known as bio-diversity zone of different varieties of plants well maintained by tribal community since time immemorial.

However, the potentiality of medicinal plants could not be marketed as deserved due to absence of proper research and techniques to modern world, the Chief Minister said and urged the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation to take care of the protection, preservation and marketing of the medicinal plants in coordination with local tribals.

He assured all possible assistance by the state government to the Foundation looking after the Centre.

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Purandeshwari Devi hoped that the medicinal research center would not only protect the genetic resources of plants of the tribal people, but also give economic stability to tribal communities of KBK areas.

Professor M S Swaminathan, the founder of the center, said over 300 medicinal plants have been identified from Koraput region and these plants were planted in the research center to felicitate the local tribes to utilise them fully in traditional medicines.

He said the MS foundation has identified seven prominent tribal communities practicing medicinal plants for treatment since past many years adding that these tribal communities would be given ample scope to preserve their bio-diversity through the center.

Among others Mitusbishi Corporation, India Chairman-cum-Managing Director S R Ranagarajan, Chairman of Plant Protection of and Director of Bio technology Md. Aslam, State Agriculture Minister S N Nayak and local MLA Rabi Narayan Nanda also addressed the gatherings.

Several scientists, tribal vaidys and scholars across country were present also present on the occasion. The centre is considered as first of its kind in the country aimed at sustainable and equitable use of medicinal plants. The MS foundation has been working since past 12 years for conservation of bio diversity, promotion of sustainable livelihoods, seeds, grains and water banks in Koraput region and protected the well variety of genetic rice ''Kalazeera' with the help of tribal community.

The state government had provided 15 acres of land in Makaput to MS foundation to set up the Biju Patnaik Medicinal Plants Research center in 2004. The centre now housed over 200 rare medicinal plants drawing the attention of the scientists all over the country.

UNI