A host of Ayurvedic herbal medicines are now being processed and produced in forest areas of the State, officials stated. Processing and production of such medicines is underway in five processing centres, functioning as cottage industry in the State.
The herbal medicines such as triphla churn, chyavanprash, bhringraj oil, aloe vera and many other ayurvedic herbal medicines are being manufactured and processed in the forest areas.
In the same sequence, village forest committees, small forest produce committees, and self-help groups have been entrusted with the responsibility to collect and supply small forest produce, as raw material for herbal medicines.
These are namely Gram Van Samiti Donganala (Forest Division Katghora, Korba district, Danteshwari Jyoti Mahila Self-Help Group village Kurandi (Forest Division Bastar, District Bastar), Bhuteshwarnath Vanoshadhi Prasanskaran Kendra village Keshodar (Gariaband district), Ma Narmada Self-Help Group village Kevanchi (Bilaspur district) and Danteshwari Self-Help Group village Panchakki (Jashpur district).
Forest Department's efforts and initiatives to provide employment and additional income to dwellers of forest areas in Chhattisgarh through herbal industry are consistently yielding positive results.
Followed by the survey of small forest produce, a record of 3,399 traditional herbal medicines have been prepared, after consultation with 418 traditional 'vaid' in 21 places, so as to promote herbal health care.