Pune: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has developed a medicinal garden on five acres of land in the varsity.
A total of over a thousand medicinal plants of 700 species available in Maharashtra have been cultivated in the campus.
The primary purpose of establishing the garden is to conserve the extinct species of medicinal plants, said the officials. Ministry of Ayush (Central government) has approved funds of Rs 13 lakh for the purpose. The medicinal garden has species like canarium strictum, Mesua ferra, rauvolfia serpentina, wrightia tinctoria, salaia oblonga, calophyllum inophyllum, teak, amla, etc.
“Also, a collection of several plants, which are helpful in producing ayurvedic medicines, are cultivated in the garden.
Besides, it includes different species of plants, which are used in various types of tribal medicines. Furthermore, this can be useful in the research study of forest conservation and medicinal plants,” said Chief Researcher of the Project and Head of the Botany Department, Digambar Mokaat.
The garden has been named as Mahamana Vaidya Shankar Daji Shastri Pade. Pune’s renowned Vaidya Khadiwale had raised funds for developing such a park around two decades ago. In 2013, the spot in varsity was reserved for it.
“We have valuable flora, which needs to be conserved. The main objective of developing such a large medicinal plant garden is to create awareness about these species of plants and conservation of it among students in the varsity, citizens and all communities in the society. Therefore, under the supervision of Vice-Chancellor Nitin Karmalkar, the garden has been established,” said Mokaat.
