Prof. (Dr) R.D. Gupta
Jammu and Kashmir has long been famous for medicinal and aromatic plants in its forests. Indeed, the forests of Jammu and Kashmir are never complete without their herbal and medicinal plants which played a pivotal role in the economy of the state. Before the Second World War, the state used to collect about 100 tonnes, the root of the composite Saussurea lappa (Kuth) annually. Similarly the Artemissia also used to harvest about 100 tonnes annually. Besides, some medicinal plants cultivated were belladonna, podophyllum, ephedra, digitalis, pyrethrum. The Forest Department undertook the development and marking of these plants on large scale. After 1947, the medicinal plants from the forest were harvested for marketing under Jammu and Kashmir Kuth Act. Since no cultivation of medicinal plants was allowed at that time so they were constantly extracted from the forests due to their increased demand both in national and international markets. This caused their considerable reduction. The stocks of medicinal plants became in short supply owing to deforestation, overgrazing of the pastures and destruction of drug fields.
The Siwalik belt of Jammu which was once covered with dense forests and large number of medicinal plants. These medicinal plants mostly consisted of ambla, bahera, harar, arjun, bael patar, neem amaltas, jamun, swanjana, isabgol, lassura etc. But now a days an entire Siwalik belt has mostly deforested, degraded and heavily eroded, and as such the aforesaid medicinal trees are rarely seen in this belt. Moreover, many natural fruits of these forests which used to flood the markets are now not available. Such fruits which possess medicinal values also, are local mango, phalsa, jamun, girna, karonda, shatoot. Like Jammu Siwalik belt and Kashmir Valley Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir was also once an abode of medicinal plants. There were about 500 plants in this region having rare properties of curing human ailments. But now many of them have become endangered due to their indiscriminate collection by pharmaceutical agencies vis-à-vis overgrazing of the pastures by the animals. Some among the most of these medicinal endangered plant species locally known are as burste, yulang, longze, tata kaown and many others.
Future Strategies
Like air-water-soil life support system water-soil-vegetation life support system has also collapsed in whole of the Indian Himalayan region including Jammu and Kashmir. This has resulted not only in the destruction of forests and their medicinal plants but also rendered human and other organism’s life difficult rather impossible. Our basic needs have threatened, process of desertification has highly accelerated. Hardly a patch of vegetation has escaped this destruction. Medicinal flora has been the worst sufferer which needs special conservation measures.
* Ban on illicit cutting, lopping and fire
Pressure of human and livestock population on the planet earth can be visualized in the form of vegetation which has become highly deteriorated. Thefts of forests produce and smuggling of timber have depleted forests growing stock. Medicinal plants growing belts have shrunk and fallen in density. Lopping of broad leaved trees for fodder has threatened out of their existence. Species like harar, bahera, amla, arjun, kachnar, dhaman etc, are disappearing in large number due to loppings. Forest fires take a heavy toll of trees, shrubs and medicinal her baceous flora from forest floor. Fires kill microflora and microfauna which import life to the soil. Fires promote soil erosion and make the soil unfertile and dry in the longrun.
In the light of these facts illicit cutting and lopping of the forest trees, and forest fires are required to be banned.
* Conservation, cultivation and promotion of medicinal plants
As the present status of conservation, cultivation and promotion of medicinal plants is not well developed, so all these aspects must be implemented in well planned manner in collaboration with local people’s participation. Growing of medicinal plants should be promoted in degraded forests, waste lands, eroded areas and degraded beds of streams.
In the Tarai belt of Kathua and Jammu, there are number of small perennial streams and marshy areas. These habitats are suitable for cultivation of barian, Dioscorea climber and Mentha piperata.
* Creation of awareness among growers
Although many rural people of India have been growing medicinal plants since 1998 yet some of them are still not well versed with using right kind of technology for cultivating of medicinal plants and their significance. Hence, more awareness is needed to create among the medicinal plants growers with regard to available potential, opportunities and futuristic agenda about the promotion of aromatic and medicinal plants sector that has high demand, a ready market and huge potential to generate jobs and wealth. For this purpose trainings, seminars workshops are required to be resorted regularly. Launching of audio visual campaigns, publishing of posters, pamphlets in all regional languages covering all aspects of medicinal plants right from cultivation to processing and product marketing should be come with a full policy documents.
Provision of incentives to growers
Since aromatic and medicinal plants cultivation is a major diversion activity so there is dire need to provide all incentives including tax holiday. The user industry units are required to be set up near the area where medicinal plants are grown so that products are of high quality and cost effective to compete successfully in the International market.
Setting up of national gene banks
Biotechnology department has already set up three national gene banks on medicinal plants, at the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic plants, Lucknow, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi and Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. They are engaged in collection, conservation and characterization of the precious wealth of medicinal and aromatic plants which are endangered, threatened and rare ones. A germ plasama repository for medicinal plants in Ayurveda has also been established at Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakkal-Kerala. More than 9,000 accessions of important medicinal and aromatic plant species are being maintained as live material in field gene banks in the form of seed in vitro material and DNA.
Implementation of National Afforestation Programme
This programme includes models like mixed plantation of trees having minor forest produce and medicinal value, and regeneration of perennial herbs and shrubs of medicinal value relating to promotion of medicinal plants through afforestation and regeneration. The states have been advised to give requisite thrust on planting medicinal plants i.e; 10% of the project area.
(The author is Ex Associate Dean Cum Chief Scientist KVK, SKUAST, Jammu )
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