‘Need to preserve traditional healing practices of Meghalaya’
SHILLONG: A workshop on medicinal plants held here on Thursday has stressed on the need to document traditional healing practices of Meghalaya.
The State Medicinal Plants Board and the Social Forestry & Environment Wing of the Forests & Environment Department organized the workshop on medicinal plants at Lady Hydari Park.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests S. Kumar said the system of traditional health practices has not been given due importance.
“The essence of medicine in any sector is these medicinal plants,” he said and talked about how in isolated hamlets people depend on these life saving medicinal plants as part of their tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation.
He advocated the idea of documentation and passing on the skills and knowledge of this valuable traditional practice.
Kumar proposed the idea of an annual fair where all the traditional health practitioners of the State can showcase their products and exchange ideas.
Chief Conservator of Forests A.K. Srivastava also addressed the gathering and talked about the abundance of medicinal plants in Meghalaya.
Pointing out that most of the plant species were on the brink of extinction, Srivastava called for proper infrastructure and awareness programmes to preserve these plants.