Bio-diversity boost

Sandakphu, where tourists can reach only through Tonglu and Dhotrey forests. File picture

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, May 28: Tonglu and Dhotrey forests in Darjeeling have been declared Bio-diversity Heritage Sites (BHS) by the state government and the West Bengal Bio-diversity Board.

Across India, there were only five BHS before. They are Nallur Tamarind Grove, Hogrekan, University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore and Ambaraguda, all in Karnataka, and Glory of Allapalli in Maharashtha.

According to the National Bio-diversity Board, the onus of declaring a bio-diversity heritage site lies with the state government and the state's bio-diversity board. The area to be declared as the BHS has to be unique with ecologically fragile ecosystem and rich bio-diversity.

According to a notification issued by the state government, the Tonglu Bio-diversity Heritage Site will cover an area of 230 hectares and would consist of Tonglu, Kankibong 3 and Kankibong 4 areas. Similarly, Dhotrey Bio-diversity Heritage Site will be spread over an area of 180 hectares and will cover Selimbong 3, Selimbong 4 and Kankibong 1 areas.

Tonglu and Dhotrey are contiguous and are on the border with Nepal. The two sites, situated about 40km from Darjeeling, lie on the fringes of Singalila National Park. One has to pass through these two areas to reach Sandakphu and Phalut, which are well known tourist destinations.

V.K. Dubey, divisional forest officer, silviculture (hills), said: "Following the notification, an inventory (of the bio-diversity) in the two areas would be prepared. Herbal nurseries will be set up for better conservation of plants and efforts would be made to further protect the area."

Sources in the forest department said both Tonglu and Dhotrey were known for medicinal herbs. "Even though the Indian side is well conserved, the border is porous and one cannot rule out people crossing over from Nepal to collect herbs," said another forest officer.

The area, according to the officer, is known for medicinal plants like aconitum, berberis, taxus baccata and podophyllum among others.

"Our source information indicates that many people from Nepal cross over the porous border to collect these medicinal plants and there is word that one kilogram of aconitum fetches anything between Rs 12,000 and 15,000," said an official.

Following the declaration of the BHS, collection of plants, animals and microbes from the two areas will be strictly regulated. "There would be an increase in manpower in the two areas," said the official.

Another officer said: "We still do not know how many medicinal plants can be found there. Moreover, after research, one might find medicinal values in some plants, which have not yet been known."