QR Code Provides Information About The Species Of Trees At Jamia Milia Islamia

By scanning the QR codes placed to the trees, visitors to Jamia Millia Islamia will be able to recognise the extensive greenery cover on the university campus. Following a botanical study, 170 plant species were identified on campus, with roughly 1,000 trees being accurately labelled.

The QR codes reveal details such as a tree's native country or location, whether it is a medicinal, avenue, or ornamental tree, and its economic value. The species' popular names, such as velvet apple for Diospyros sp., and also their Hindi and Urdu names, are available.

Dr. M Irfan Qureshi, one of the project's spearheads explained that this essential effort detects the plants across the Jamia campus. This activity had never been attempted on this scale before. A total of almost a lakh trees including shrubs, and medicinal herbs were inspected and catalogued. He added that the record they produced following a three-day survey has been connected to the Herbal Kew Garden, a global platform. Scanning the QR code will provide information about the campus trees to students and anybody else who is interested.

A Jamia official claimed that the institution's extensive greenery served as the locality's lungs, and that the university planned to conduct another survey on the campus, this time of the fauna present. They noted an upsurge in the kinds of birds on campus mostly during lockdown months, from hornbills and peacocks to barn owls. As a result, they are intending to conduct a poll on birds and animals as well, which they will offer as a documentary film.

Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar stated that the campus has a remarkable range of flora, but they had never been inspected and classified. It's fascinating to learn that some of their plants have medical value while others provide food for birds. They will observe the data to witness how they can boost bird variety, such as by attracting uncommon and migratory birds.