A herbal garden has been developed on 1.50 acres of land belonging to Government High School at Theerthamajalu in Markanja Gram Panchayat jurisdiction in Sullia taluk.
The garden was developed by the Social Forestry Department by making use of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Apart from medicinal plants, the saplings of plants that are endemic to Western Ghats, fruit-bearing plants and flower plants have also been planted.
As Vishnumurthy Temple, Durgaparamaeshwari Temple, Sri Shasthavu Sadashiva Mahaganapathi Temple, Shiradi Yane Rajan Daivasthana, Balnadu Ullakulu and Mithuru Nayar Daivastana are situated in Markanja, Nelluru, Kemraje villages of the GP limits, the garden is named as Panchasri Herbal Garden.
A total of 200 species of herbal plants have been planted. The names of 160 plants, their scientific names and its uses have been mentioned in the name board near the plants, to create awareness among the visitors.
In addition, ‘Navagrahavana,’ ‘Rashivana,’ ‘Shivapanchakashari Vana', ‘Nandana Vana’ and ‘Saptarshi Vana’ have also been developed.
The plant species that are endemic to Western Ghats have also been planted. Drip irrigation system has been installed to water these saplings, said officials.
Some of the medicinal plants planted are ‘Athi', ‘Mathuge',' ‘Ashwatha, ‘Ekke', ‘Khadeera', ‘Darbe', ‘Sarpagandhi', ‘Shami', ‘Garike', ‘Utharane', Lemon, ‘Nerale', ‘Karaveera', 'Bilvapathre', Ashoka, ‘Nagasampige’, ‘Sarpagandhi’, ‘Nelanelli’, Tulasi, ‘Chakramuni,’ ‘Pashanabedi,’ ‘Bili Ekka’, neem ‘Kiratagaddi', ‘Bili Kepula', ‘Amrita Balli’ and others.
The fruit-bearing plants of jackfruit, mango, ‘Nakshatra Hannu’, kokum, ‘Vatehuli’, wild jack, Badam and other endemic plants like ‘Seetha’, Ashoka, ‘Antuvala’, ‘Holedasavala’, ‘Renja’, gooseberry, ‘Rambotan’, ‘Surahonne’ and others have also been planted.
To maintain the garden, two persons have also been deployed. Seating arrangements have also been made in the garden for the visitors by utisiling the funds under the Social Forestry Department. Fences too have been laid around the garden to protect the plants from cows. There are plans to construct toilet, security shed and paragola in the garden, said officials.
Social Forest Department Range Forest Officer Ganesh Tantri said that the garden would create awareness on medicinal plants among people and children.
The medicinal plants that are on the verge of extinction are being conserved by planting them in the garden. Endangered species of saplings too have been planted for conservation.
The officials said that a majority of the saplings were procured from the nurseries and a few herbal plants were procured from Pilikula Nisargadhama.
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