Governor Mangubhai Patel has stressed the need for massive plantations to ensure environmental prosperity. He said that trees make environment healthy and forest produce brings prosperity. He expressed the need to disseminate information on properties of forest produces and medicines on a wide scale. The Governor asked the officials concerned to ensure scientific certification of herbs and medicines used traditionally for treatment of ailments. Explaining about sickle cell, a genetic disease prevalent in the tribal community, he said that it is the cause of 21 types of diseases. Forest Department and Ayurveda experts have been asked to do research on Ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of serious diseases. Governor Patel was addressing the inauguration ceremony of Van Mela 2024 organized by the State Minor Forest Produce Trade and Development Federation at Bhopal Haat on Wednesday. Forest, Environment and Scheduled Caste Welfare Minister Nagar Singh Chauhan, Minister of State for Forest and Environment Shri Dilip Ahirwar were also present.

 

Governor Mangubhai Patel commended the initiative of organizing Van Mela for improving minor forest produce based economy. He appealed to the citizens to complement the efforts for economic empowerment of the deprived sections by ensuring maximum purchases. He said that illiteracy is the main reason of poverty. The education leads to development. He called upon the deprived sections to give top priority to education of children. He said that the challenges of climate change and global warming cause environmental imbalance. Plantation is imperative of environmental balance. He said that forest medicines do not have side effects. Their effectiveness has seen tested during Covid. He informed that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, had planned 12 zodiac, 27 constellation and 9 planetary forests for public participation in plantation. He said that intensive plantation is an urgent need in urban areas. He appealed to the citizens to take a pledge on their birthday to plant saplings and care them constantly. Forest, Environment and Scheduled Caste Welfare Minister Nagar Singh Chauhan said that 35 lakh people are involved in forest produce collection. The state government is making efforts for their advancement. The rate of tendu leaf collection has been increased from Rs 3 thousand per standard bag to Rs 4 thousand. As many as 126 Van Dhan Centers have been established.

 

Education is being imparted in excellent educational institutions through Eklavya Shiksha Vikas Yojana. Minister of State for Forest Environment, Dilip Ahirwar said that the state government is working hard to implement Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s idea of Vocal for Local. The Van Mela is an effort to directly benefit the forest produce collectors. The Governor was welcomed by tribal folk artists with traditional folk dance. The guests were presented medicinal plants. Welcome address was given by Additional Chief Secretary Forest, J.N. Kansotiya. Managing Director, Minor Forest Produce Association, Vibhash Thakur gave a vote of thanks. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Abhay Patil, forest produce collectors and people were present.