Medicinal plants becoming extinct

• New kind of mafia thriving in agency area
• Moving forest produce for overseas exports
• No check on personnel of pharma companies
• Activists, researchers decry official apathy

Rajahmundry: A new kind of mafia is invading the East Godavari agency area which is home for thousands of species of flora. The representatives of pharmaceutical companies are moving forest products having medicinal values to cities like Hyderabad and Chennai and the products are being exported to foreign countries from there.

Though this trade has been going on for the last one decade, the authorities do not seem to have focused any attention towards protection of flora and fauna here. The government and the forest department have washed off their hands by setting up ‘Vali Sugreeva Vanamoolika Samrakshana Kendras” in Maredumilli and in other centers. There is no policing or any effective measures to check the pharma companies from exploiting the herbals.

Large numbers of environmentalists and botany lecturers who have been conducting research on medicinal plants and trees in the agency areas told The Hans India that they had tried their best to draw the attention of the government on the illegal exploitation of herbs from the agency area, but in vain.

They said the illegal exploitation of the flora and fauna was posing a major threat to the existence of some rare species that are available in the thick forest and hilly areas of Rampachodavaram division. The companies are diverting valuable medicinal plants, which are lifelines for tribal people over the centuries. This forest region is attracting the attention of researchers with geological and biological diversity.

Adivasis living in the agency areas of this division have been using bark of trees and juices taken out from leaves for treating various diseases much before allopath system of medicine became popular.

According to sources, the representatives of Pharma companies stay in the tribal habitats and collect information on the medicinal values of the plants in the name of research. They then transport tree branches, leaves, flowers and creepers to plain areas illegally. The companies then identify the medicinal qualities after conducting tests in laboratories and resort to moving forest products to cities like Hyderabad and Chennai and product from where they are exported to foreign countries.

As a result of this illegal activity some rare species are now said to be in danger. Very species like Adugu Teppeta, Nemali Adugu, Thippa Theega, Pippallu and Nela Gummadi have become endangered species. Some more species like Podapathri, Maredugujju which are useful in controlling diabetes and Mahipakshi, Dumparashtram which can control obesity have also joined endangered club. The other important leaf which is most sought after by pharma companies is Kondapindi leave, which has the quality to dilute stones in kidney. But, the root vegetable called Nela Gummadi has got greatest demand as it has become boon for pharma companies as it is very useful enhancing immunity. The companies are purchasing this root vegetable paying Rs 5,000 per one kilogram to tribals and this root vegetable normally weighs up to five kilograms and it is believed that it was being used in manufacturing medicines for HIV affected people.

Nela Gummadi, which grows in dense forest in Maredumilli and Addatheegala mandals is in brink of extinction as procurement this root vegetable is going without any control for many years.