DIBRUGARH, Feb 2 - The Jokai Botanical Germplasm-cum-Orchid Park at Jokai near here will shortly be developed with fresh funds from the NEC. This was conveyed to Lahowal MLA Rituparna Baruah by State Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma in reply to a starred question in the Assembly today.
Baruah later told The Assam Tribune that the Jokai park, as it is popularly known here, would be developed at an initial cost of Rs 71.43 lakh. The park is located on a 24-hectare plot, and in the initial years, it provided good botanical research facilities and had a commendable collection of flora. There were facilities for researchers to stay there too. However, the park came to be neglected in the past ten years and is currently in a poor shape.
The Jokai park, between 2003 and 2007, was provided with government funds for infrastructure development. During this period, the Government spent a little more than Rs 43 lakh on the park. Despite its degraded state, the park still boasts of 297 species of medicinal plants. Baruah feels that the park will serve botanical researchers to a great extent if it is fully restored.
