A new aquatic plant section has been opened at Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (AJCIBG), Shibpur, for housing rare plant species.
Union environment and forest minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the section in Division 20 of the sprawling botanical garden area on July 1.
The new section has been dedicated to the conservation of certain rare species of lotus and lily flowers. Its pièce de résistance is the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica and V cruziana), which came to the garden in 1873 from Brazil.
“Institutions like this botanical garden will play a significant role in creating public awareness about plant preservation and saving our rich biodiversity and ecosystem,” he said.
During his visit to the over 200-year-old garden, Yadav planted Rudraksh and Indian rosewood plants in the garden, a spokesperson of the Botanical garden said on Saturday.
After the inauguration ceremony, the minister visited the famous 270-year-ol great banyan tree in the garden. He said students and young adults who visited the park regularly should be aware of the need to preserve the ecosystem.