C'garh to develop Asia's biggest botanical garden

Asia's biggest botanical garden will come up in Naya Raipur with the Chhattisgarh government initiating work on the eco-tourism project.
The state forest department has already started work in this connection near Khandwa village of the new capital, located around 23 kms away from the existing Raipur.
Chief Minister Raman Singh has a keen interest in promoting eco-tourism and it was as per his initiative that the garden would be developed on 153 hectares of area near Khandwa reservoir, close to the planned forest safari, an official said here.
A team comprising National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow scientist Dr R K Ray, Chhattisgarh Forest Research Centre Director K C Yadav and several other experts inspected the proposed site yesterday, the official said.

They also held a discussion with chief executive of the Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) Amit Kataria and officials of the forest and other concerned departments.
The botanical garden will house plants of different varieties and species, that will also be used extensively for research purpose by the students and teachers of botany.

Plants samples would be collected from all districts for plantation at the garden. Plant germplasm would also be preserved for the future, he said.
As per the plan, different preservation areas would be created in the garden, including palm house, cactus house and bonsai house, etc. Besides, the area will also have a butterfly garden to attract the visitors, he added.

The state Forest Research Centre has been entrusted with the task of implementing the project.