A ‘Public Health Garden’ With 270 Medicinal Plants Opens In Nainital

Nainital, a popular hill station in Uttarakhand, has become home to a ‘public health garden’ that boasts of around 270 medicinal plants, including herbs, shrubs, trees, aquatic plants, and medicinal orchids. The garden, which is spread over 10 acres of land at Lalkuan, was inaugurated by the principal chief conservator of forests Anoop Malik on Friday.

The garden was developed by the state’s forest department over the last two years with funding from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The aim of the initiative is to conserve the declining medicinal plants, create awareness among the public and link it with livelihood opportunities for the local people.

Sanjeev Chaturvedi, chief conservator (research), said the garden is divided into 10 sections based on the medicinal properties, uses, and benefits of the plants. “We have plants such as Nirgundi for healing muscles, Brahmi for the human brain, Isabgol for the digestive system, and Bhringraj for hair in the section called Manav Vatika. Similarly, the Arogya Vatika has plants that are used to cure heart disease, acne, and hardening of the arteries,” he said.

The garden also has a Dashmool Vatika, having five tree species and five shrub species whose roots are used in Ayurvedic formulation. Another section has immune system-boosting plants. The forest official said that to educate the public, they have developed a section having anti-pollution plants. “In this section, we also have bamboo species, which releases 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees,” he said.

The garden also has a section for plants that can control indoor air pollution, which can cause various health problems including respiratory ailments. The plants here are mainly aloe vera, peace lily, rubber plant, areca palm, and sansevieria.

The forest department has also established a small processing unit for preparing extracts from useful plants and a community training center to impart training to local people.

The garden is open to the public and visitors can learn about the various medicinal plants and their uses. The garden is also expected to generate income for the local people by providing them with raw materials for making herbal products.

The public health garden is a unique initiative that showcases the rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge of Uttarakhand. It is also a step towards promoting natural healing and wellness among the people.