GURUGRAM: The
forest department on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a 19.5-acre herbal park near Tikli village, on the occasion of the
World Forest Day.
The first-of-its-kind park in
Gurugram will be used for research and tourism purpose. It will be ready by the next year. According to officials, the garden will help raise awareness among people about the Aravalis and importance of various herbal and medicinal plants.
A team of forest department officials planted saplings of 15 medicinal trees at the site.
Deepak Nanda, district forest officer (territorial), told TOI, “This garden will provide people an opportunity to experience nature and also in conservation of various herbal and indigenous species of medicinal plants. It will be one-of-its-kind
herbal garden as it is situated very close to the city. It will be of interest to both the visitors as well as students.”
There are 52 herbal plants in the state. Officials said many species of medicinal plants, including tulsi, ashwagandha, mint, marigold, aloe vera, hibiscus, bel and guggul, will be planted in this garden.
“We opted for this site as the village panchayat wanted to develop the area as a herbal garden and approached the department. We have already allocated funds for the herbal garden. There is a need for more village panchayats and neighborhoods to come forward for the development of herbal gardens in the city,” said another official of the forest department.
The villagers are also expecting a boost in tourism once the garden is ready.
“A herbal garden was developed in Sohna a few years ago, which has helped in raising eco-tourism in the area. Many locals have got employment as even foreign tourists are visiting the garden now. With the help of such initiatives, we will not only protect the nature in the area, but it will also serve as a tourism hub,” said a resident of Tikli village.
Located close to Sohna Road, Tikli village has been in limelight for many positive infrastructural developments, including a newly constructed crematorium, a mobile medicare unit and a community water treatment system.
The forest department is also working on two other crucial projects — Butterfly Park in Sector 52 and a Goraiya (House Sparrow) breeding centre in Nature’s Camp at Bharat Yatra Kendra, a 600-acre ashram which belonged to former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar.
