55 medicinal plants on verge of extinction in HP

Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, October 21

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Overexploitation of herbs by pharmaceutical companies has pushed 55 plant varieties to the verge of extinction.

Dr Arun Chanden, regional director, National Medical Plants Board (NMPB), said some herbs known for their medicinal values, including ‘tejpata’, ‘kala zeera’, ‘ratanjot’, ‘kashmal’ and ‘mitha telia’, which were commonly found in Himachal, now faced extinction.

Dr Chanden said the NMPB, established by the Government of India, was now trying to promote farmers to grow these herbs on a commercial scale in their farms. “The government is providing the planting material and subsidy to the farmers for the purpose,” he said.

The rare medicinal herbs are being exploited in Kangra and adjoining districts of Chamba and Mandi. Forest officials had also confiscated ‘nag chatri’, a rare medicinal herb, from smugglers. Berberis aristata (‘kashmal’) is being uprooted and exported out of Himachal illegally.

Large piles of uprooted ‘kashmal’ were found along the Baijnath-Mandi road. It is learnt that it was uprooted by locals, who sell herbs to ayurvedic drug companies within and outside the state.

The areas in which extraction of plant is being carried out are along the borders of Kangra and Mandi district.

Since the roots of ‘kashmal’ have medical values, the people dig it from roots. The people from the area also alleged that large-scale illegal extraction of the plant from hills along roads was leading to landslides in the rainy season.

Senior forest officials said earlier, the DFO used to issue export permits of the plant. However, due to its overexploitation, the Forest Department had banned its extraction and export. “If some people are extracting ‘kashmal’, it is illegal,” they said.

The plant produces yellow flowers and blue or black berries. Dried fruit is considered as mild laxative and is rich in vitamin C. The leaves are used to treat jaundice and root bark is given in decoction for people with diabetes.

Locals sell it for Rs 100 to Rs 500 per kg. The state has an ideal environment for the growth of medicinal plants. However, the state government has failed to motivate the farmers to grow these. Due to the rising demand for medical plants, these are being exploited.