Arunachal Pradesh Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao on Thursday called upon the Central Government to tap the ayurvedic potentials of the State through research, development and documentation.
Participating in the discussion on a bill that sought to declare the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar as an institution of national importance, moved by minister of state for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) Shripad Yesso Naik in the Lok Sabha, Gao said Arunachal is one of the richest resource-based state in terms of medicinal plants.
Gao said plants like Caterpillar fungus locally called Yarsagumba found in Arunachal costs around Rs 2-3 lakh per kilo in the country, but the same is being black marketed to South Asian countries for Rs 40-50 lakh.
“Also another plant called Pieris which grows in the jungles of state is being sold in the markets of Burma and China for around Rs 60 lakh per kilo whereas the same yields somewhere between Rs 10-20 thousand in the state,” said Gao.
Taking such things into consideration, the government should carry out a detailed research, and document such potentials the state has.
Gao, during his speech also spoke of one Yanung Jamoh Lego, a herbal medicine expert from East Siang district who treats patients whose diseases are mostly surrendered by the country and world’s best hospitals.
“She (Lego) is treating almost all kind of diseases including cancer and AIDs and patients from across the acountry and region including some foreigners’ visit her and are getting cured,” Gao said while adding that the government of India should look into the prospects of herbal and traditional medicines.
We must go back to our origins (using herbal medicines) and the government should allocate more funds to AYUSH so that the future of our country can depend on Ayurveda, the MP said.