Hyderabad: Unani Herbarium left to wither

Rajendranagar: At a time when the panic stricken people squeals for an effective remedy against viciously hunting corona virus and research activities gain prominence, the research institutions in the State, especially the Government Herbarium (Unani) at Kattedhan under Rajendranagar inexplicably lies in a shambles while it was primarily formed to raise medicinal plants for students carrying out research activities.

This institute formed to provide appropriate knowledge and specifications about plants full of medicinal values. Students, especially those pursuing Bachelor in Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) were often made to visit the herbarium in order to stimulate their minds about the importance of plants and their medicinal properties with healing effects which are greatly beneficial for human health.

It is said that lack of proper care and supervision over the years made the medicinal plants die their own death. A significant number of herbs with impressive medicinal values have dried up due to lack of irrigation on regular bases while the only borewell available on the premises remained defunct for several months.

Ironically, the Herbarium – that spreads on a sprawling area of around four acres and has myriad hundreds of saplings and trees of medicinal value, is surrounded by hundreds of industries in Kattedan industrial area. Also, the institute stood a few metres away from Tata Nagar area from where a large number of polluting industries are being flushed out by the GHMC.

"The student visits were largely stopped for the last two years and the only borewell used to irrigate the saplings and plants was also defunct for almost six months. This has led to a significant damage to hundreds of herbs in the institution. Last year the premises were inundated due to heavy rains and subsequent floods in the nearby lakes. Since then there were no measures taken up to restore the herbs or the borewell. We have written a letter to higher ups for provision of funds to take up repair works of the borewell and the response is awaited," informed an official on the condition of anonymity.

"Negligent attitude towards the prestigious institution of experimental importance should be blamed for an inexplicable situation wherein the herbarium with full of rich and healing plants have dried up due to drought like situation that too in an area where there is no dearth of water for irrigation," rued Dr AA Khan, State President, All India Unani Tibbi Congress (AIUTC), Hyderabad.

Generally, he said, the students practicing BUMS were posted at this Herbarium to pound over the medicinal importance and specifications of the herbs that help them expand their horizons of understanding about the subject. "Since no such plants existed anymore and most of them were dried up, how will the students carry out their experimental research? The unit officers concerned should be held responsible for the present state of affair at the herbarium," bemoaned Dr Khan.