By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A Block Awareness program was organized by the Martin Luther Christian University
at Raliang, Jaintia Hills recently to popularize the project “Priortization, Identification and Mapping of medicinal plants used among the Khasi and Garo Tribes of Meghalaya”.
The implementation process includes conducting Block Awareness programs in every Block in the State focusing on Promotion of Traditional Healers, formation of Folk Healers Association and Certification of Traditional Healers, in collaboration with the members of the Society for Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge and Practice (SPIKAP).
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Divisional Forests Officer (DFO), JHADC Ms H Lato stressed on the need for Conservation of Forests through the Traditional Healers citing that traditional practitioners are very much dependent on Forests for their medicine.
She said that a record of about 834 medicinal plants are found in the forests of Meghalaya and hope that many more are still to be traced.
Ms Hato further stated that some plants are highly endangered which shows that the forests cover are slowly decreasing due to human activity, industries, deforestation, etc.
The program chaired by Badalam Dkhar, Lecturer MLCU was also attended by Chawas Lyngdoh, Daloi Elaka Raliang and John Kharshiing, co-Chairman, MSPB and Chairman SPIKAP.
John Kharshiing, Chairman SPIKAP, while participating in the program stated that the project required collection of one hundred most widely used medicinal plants in Meghalaya, which will be collected and documented for promotion at the national level. The healers and traditional birth attendants were also given a presentation by Mr Simon Swett, Field Official MLCU, on the objectives and aims of the project.