Leh, July 14: Union Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh launched ‘National Mission on Seabuckthorn’ during a function organised by the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research here on Wednesday.
 The function was also attended by Union Minister of State for Defense, M M Pallam Raju, Minister for Environment and Forest, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Chief Executive Councilor, Leh Hill Council, Chering Dorje , Chief Executive Councilor, Kargil Hill Council, Kacho Ahmad Khan, CC R&D (LS) Dr William Selvamurthy, Dr Shashi Bala Singh, Director, DIHAR.
 Jairam Ramesh highlighted the environmental benefits of Seabuckthorn and advocated for creation of “National Consortium of Seabuckthorn” to integrate functioning of DRDO and other allied institutions for promoting the impact of Seabuckthorn at national level. He set a target for increasing the area under Seabuckthorn to 50,000 hectares of land by 2020 under phase one in four districts of Leh, Kargil, Kinnour and Lahoul & Spiti through a concerted effort by researchers, academicians, self help groups and Ministry of Forest.
 The Minister also highlighted the need for international collaboration with China, Mongolia, Russia and Pakistan for Seabuckthorn cultivation and Germany and Finland for Seabuckthorn processing. The ICIMOD has been asked to guide the proposed National Seabuckthorn Consortium to formulate regional program on Seabuckthorn. 
 An initial fund of Rs 25 crore was sanctioned to initiate the programme under the Mini Mission on Cold Desert Ecosystem under the mega project Green India Mission. DIHAR (DRDO) has been appointed as the nodal centre of National Seabuckthorn Mission in view of the pioneering Research & Development and commercialization of Seabuckthorn based products in India.
 Seabuckthorn Consortium has been asked to prepare a Mission Mode Program on Seabuckthorn and submit the same to Ministry of Environment and Forest within two months.
 M M Pallam Raju emphasized the role of Seabuckthorn on defence research and its implications for the armed personal deployed in high altitude. He highlighted the Research & Development being carried by DRDO.
 Mian Altaf Ahmad assured whole hearted cooperation of the state government for the project.
 A compendium book “Seabuckthorn Research in India” was released by Jairam Ramesh and a Seabuckthorn oil based soft gel capsule was also released on the occasion.
 About 115 delegates from Ministry of Environment and Forests, Forest Departments of J&K, Himachal Pardesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Food Processing, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vidhyala, ICIMOD, Amity University, Lupin etc also participated and gave presentations on Seabuckthorn potentialities.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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