CHANDIGARH: The UT NSS cell has decided to go herbal. Taking first-of-its-kind initiative, all schools and colleges, both private and government,

having NSS units have been asked to develop NSS herbal gardens on vacant land on their respective premises.
State liaison officer Bikram Rana said the plan has been mooted to channelize the energies of the youth. “These gardens would be developed, monitored and maintained by NSS volunteers,” Rana said, adding that they would contact the forest department for supply of medicinal plants for the purpose. Eco-clubs will also be involved in arranging the supply of medicinal plants and seedlings.
Tending to the herbal gardens will form part of the regular activities of NSS units. The Chandigarh NSS cell has 127 units having about 100 volunteers each. While 66 units are functioning in schools, including the Kendriya and Navodya Vidyalayas, 67 others have been established in institutes of higher education. The total strength of NSS volunteers in UT is 12,700.
“The objective is to make the students aware of the importance of our rich medicinal plants and use the youth power for development of herbal gardens which will, in turn, help maintain environment in and around the schools premises,” he said.
In fact, this experiment has successfully been carried out by Senior Secondary School, Dadu Majra, Sector 38, Chandigarh. It has planted lemon grass, vasaka, ashwagandha, sham tulsi, am tulsi, kapur tulsi, aloe vera, acorus calamus, chitrak, lajjalu, orange mint, puthia and brahmi.
Rana said that in the near future, such gardens would also be developed in UT villages with the help of NSS volunteers. “These will not only help keep the environment in villages clean but also create a source of income for the village panchayat as these plants are being used in making many aryuvedic medicines,” he added.

Source: TOI