Envisaging to develop first of its kind ‘World Herbal Forest’ in Haryana’s Morni area, the State Government has identified various blocks in Morni in a survey conducted recently.
Haryana Health and Ayush Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said that many blocks in Morni area have been identified in a survey to set up the proposed ‘World Herbal Forest’, which would cover an area of about 52,000 acres.
Vij said that the survey had covered blocks of Baloti, Badwa, Bhud, Bhudi, Meerpur, Morni, Thangdog, Thapli and Trilokpur. Morni area in Haryana’s Panchkula district has suitable environment for medicinal plants. As Ghaggar river flows in this area, there would be no shortage of water for plants, he added.
He said that ‘Chetna Kendras’ would also be set up in the forest to provide information about herbal plants to visitors and they would also get herbs for the treatment of various diseases.
Several theme parks would also come up in the Herbal Forest and the herbs to be planted in these parks would help in treating diseases. It has also been planned to set up various nurseries and green houses in the area of proposed herbal forest, said Vij.
Small bridges and check dams would be constructed for conservation of rain water . Also, fences would be erected on all sides of the forests to save plants from wild animals, activities of anti social elements and to conserve the herbal plants, added the Minister.
More than 25,000 types of medicinal plants would be grown in the ‘World Herbal Forest.’
Anil Vij said that the forest would help those doctors working in the field of Forest Ayurveda throughout the world to know, identify and carryout research es of medicinal plants and herbs.
The Minister added that Swami Ramdev has already been appointed as brand ambassador to promote Yoga and Ayurveda in the state and with the help of Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishan, the herbal forest would be developed in the Morni area of the state.
The proposed world’s largest ‘Herbal Forest’ at Morni would be completely developed in the coming 2-3 years and aims to put Haryana on the international map as it would not only provide a platform to the researchers from world over to carry out their research activities but also emerge as an international tourist destination. At, present about 300 varieties of plants are available at Morni.