HALEM, Aug 28 � The State Forest Department�s scheme for plantation of medicinal and aromatic plants at its five-hectare plot of land at Chandmari village under Halem Mouza is a major wastage of public money and other resources.
It may be noted that the Forest Department had spent around Rs 20 lakh to develop the facilities at the plantation. Apart from the quarters attached to the plantation, it had facilities like green house, seed room, labour shed, a children�s park and a seed nursery. More importantly, 161 varieties of plants were planted there. But now, nothing is there to call it a plantation, except for the bamboo gate.
The plantation was inaugurated by Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain in February 2009 after it was prepared the year before.
The minister had then said that more funds will be provided for the upkeep of the plantation but nothing has been done so far.
The plants and the other facilities are now under a thick cover of weeds and grass.
People of the locality are now thinking in terms of filing an RTI to know about the allocation of funds and the intension of setting up the plantation, as they believe it to be a misuse and misappropriation of public money.
