locals are hopeful of developments in the field of medicinal plant cultivation with one private company showing interest in conducting research and development work in medicinal plants here on the line of work done in countries like China and Japan.

Dr Sanjiv Krishna Chaudhry, the managing director of Devang private limited company has started work on a plan for research on medicinal plants, their conservation, cultivation, standardisation and their use in treatment of serious ailments too.

The company, involved in publicising Ayurvedic medicinal herbs and organic farming across the world is preparing to work in the mountainous region here for the first time. The company has now decided to start research into medicinal plants on the lines of similar work done in nations like China and Japan.

The effort will also be aimed at facilitating the conservation of medicinal plants getting rarer while ensuring their benefit to the maximum number of people. For this purpose, the company has started searching for land plots near the Chamba for planting medicinal plants. As soon as suitable place is found, the medicinal plants will be planted in addition to which herbal medicine will also be prepared for the treatment of life threatening ailments.

The company officials are slated to soon record information along with scientists about the medicinal flora suited for cultivation in the area according to its climatic and ecological conditions. This will be followed by plantation of the selected medicinal plants. Chaudhry opines that medicinal herbs are nothing less than a boon for humans.

The smallest of plants has its own importance, what is needed is research into the qualities of these medicinal herbs and prepare a suitable medicine from them, he said. Action will be taken in this direction as soon as suitable land is found for the purpose near Tehri, added Chaudhry.