To accomplish the objective of Green India Campaign, a plantation drive (Van Mahaotsav) was carried today at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. Dr. A. S. Nanda, Vice Chancellor GADVASU started the campaign by planting a sapling of Harar (Terminalia chebula), a plant used extensively in Ayurveda and all the officers, Deans and Directors of the University planted saplings of different medicinal plants at the medicinal garden. Dr. V. K. Dumka, Head Department of Pharmacology informed that Ethnoveterinary medicine may prove to be an economically viable resource for livestock diseases and help to improve the standard of living of dairy farmers by reducing cost of treatment of animals and minimizing production and reproduction losses. In recognition of the efforts made by GADVASU in this arena, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH has granted rupees forty lac Research Project for the development of a medicinal plant garden.
A large number of faculty members participated in the campaign and planted trees. Dr. M. S. Bal, Incharge landscaping, Sh Joginder Singh, budder and his team had made all the arrangements and carried out the plantation drive efficiently. A total of 450 plants including 50 medicinal plants like bel, lasura, nirgundi, swanjana etc. were planted and this drive will be carried further to establish a herbal garden having vast variety of medicinal plants. This initiative is one step further in the mission of GADVASU for working towards doubling the farmers' income. Commending the efforts made by the scientists of the University Dr. A. S. Nanda, who has been instrumental in developing collaboration with Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, said that the medicinal plant garden would help to exploit the vast potential of indigenous plants not only for their therapeutic or preventive medicinal values but the farmers, in general, will economically gain from cultivating medicinal plants.