(a) whether the Government have formulated any special action plan for the development and preservation of rare medicinal plants found in Madhya Pradesh and other States;
(b) is so, the details thereof, state-wise; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to prevent smuggling of these rare medicinal plants?
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T. R. BAALU)
(a) to (c) Statement is laid on the Table of the House
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a), (b) AND (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 41 ON `RARE MEDICINAL PLANTS` BY SHRI PUNNU LAL MOHALE FOR ORAL REPLY ON 28.02.2000
(a) & (b) There is no special action plan as yet for the development and preservation of
rare medicinal plants. However, these objectives are pursued through the
following programmes :
(i) A 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Conservation and Development of Non-timber Forest Produce (NTFP) including medicinal Plants is being
implemented by the Ministry of Environment & Forests in which various States
of the country, including Madhya Pradesh, are participating.
(ii) The network of protected areas comprising of 86 National Parks and 448
Wildlife Sanctuaries is also helping in the conservation of wild flora including
medicinal plants.
(iii) Under a DANIDA assisted project which is being implemented in the States of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu,, in-situ conservation of medicinal plants has been undertaken by establishing network of Medicinal Plants Conservation Areas. This activity is being replicated in the States of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in the next two years. Steps are also being undertaken to gradually extend such networks in other States.
(c) Steps taken to prevent smuggling of Medicinal Plants include :
(1) Collection of wild plant species covered under Schedule VI of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 from any forest land or specified area has been banned by
law.
(2) Export of 29 species of plant or plant portion and their derivatives obtained from
the wild have been prohibited.
(3) The cultivated variety of plant/plant portions of the 29 banned species can be
allowed for export subject to production of certificate of cultivation and a CITES
permit, wherever applicable.
(4) Frequent checks are carried out by the wildlife authorities whenever information of
illegal trading in wild plants reaches them.