HYDERABAD: Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar, on Wednesday, inaugurated Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre, a modern tissue culture laboratory to help propagate critically endangered plant and tree species, at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Nandigama mandal of Rangareddy district.
The laboratory will grow plantlets at the ashram, a good share of which, will also be supplied across the country to the forestry department, NGOs and other plantation bodies that are involved with afforestation in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Tomar said that after meeting Heartfulness spiritual head Kamlesh D Patel (Daaji) and visiting the tissue culture lab, he realized that endangered tree species could be saved. These could be developed, creating employment and leading to a revolution in agriculture.
“Whoever visits Kanha Shanti Vanam will surely be inspired. It will be of great help to the country and environment if the learnings of the centre are used further. I wish everyone should visit and witness the great initiatives being implemented here,” he suggested.
The centre has a 5,000 sq ft facility with 10,000 cleanroom technology, 15,00,000 annual sapling production capacity and infrastructure with tissue culture processes, being overseen by a team of experts from India and Israel.
At least five endangered species are being propagated at the rate of 1.5- 2 lakh saplings per year, per variety, by the centre.
The raw material is being obtained from native locations of the endangered species with the help of the forest department.
Elite plant materials are obtained from fields of Kerala, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere, wherein the desired plants are tagged for future use.
“Our proprietary medical knowledge is also plant-driven and trees have always been given their due as revered species in most parts of the country. Safeguarding them is only a minuscule effort in the right direction for the benefit of our future generations and the overall ecosystem,” said Daaji.