Sirmaur to tie up with CSIR for medicinal, aromatic crops

Tribune News Service

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Solan, January 9

In a bid to save rare herbs, the Sirmaur district administration will coordinate with Palampur-based CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology to undertake cultivation and development of medicinal and aromatic crops.

Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner RK Pruthi said MoUs would be signed with the institute for the development of medicinal and aromatic crops, rare, threatened and endangered plant species as well as bamboo plantation-related interventions. He said discussions had already been held with the scientists from the institute for undertaking research and development works over these issues.

Apart from this, enterprise development for herbal incense cones, wine making from peach and cereal and millet bars making activities would also be part of these MoUs. He said the CSIR-IHBT would also explore scope for making home-compost machines that could help deal with the problem of garbage management in the district.

Pruthi said one lakh saplings of different varieties would be planted in each development block. Apart from this, one lakh lemon saplings would also be planted under MGNREGA. He said Navratan Theme Park would also be established that would have nine components — Triveni, Panchvati, air purifier, water purifier, mosquito-repellent plants, snake-repellent plants, dant van, fodder plants and kitchen clinic plants.

As part of his “Vision-2020”, the DC said efforts would be made to conserve the environment and new interventions such as zero waste tourist centre having traditional and modern kitchen, toilet, cafe, wi-fi, solar system and rooftop rain harvesting system would be established for tourists and visitors at Bag Pashog. The Centre would also have mahila mandal store where they would sell domestic and handmade products and local products.

He said 228 gram panchayats would be divided into 43 clusters for solid waste management and the segregated waste collected in these clusters would be scientifically processed.