Dawdling over Damdawi
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: 23rd June, 2008 -

The efficiency or rather the lack of it of a Government is said to come to the fore whenever the State is faced with the question, 'What should be done ?'

In most cases such a question arises during times of crises or when there is a serious threat to National security, read terror strike, or when there is a natural disaster, such as the disastrous earthquake that rocked China some time back or during the Tsunami tragedy or the Latur quake.

It is rare that a State or a Government is faced with such a dilemma when there is some good news, but it all depends on the type of leadership a Government provides and the best example to illustrate this is perhaps the indecisiveness of the Congress led SPF Government vis-a-vis the finding of the 'miracle' plant at Saikot.

'Miraculous Cancer Curing' Plant of Chawilien, Saikot sometime in mid June, 2008.

It is more than 45 days since The Sangai Express broke the story of how the extract of the Damdawi plant had helped to reduce the cancerous growth on an elderly gentleman from the same village.

Though the gentleman did claim that the said plant extract had cured him from cancer, this paper had just reported that the plant extract had helped in reducing the tumour, which is vastly different from what was claimed.

Thereafter the mad rush to Saikot to get hold of the plant extract began to hit the front page of the newspapers on an almost daily basis.

This paper had even reported how the eager public had to spend over night at the Churachandpur village to lay their hands on the bottled plant extract, courtesy our Churachandpur district correspondent. Not surprisingly outlets have started opening not only in Imphal but also in other district headquarters, where the plant extracts are sold in bottles through agents or distributors.

Amid all these miraculous claims of curing ailments and the overly obvious attempts to market the plant extract, what stands out like a sore thumb is the inability of the State Government to take a firm decision regarding the said plant.

Even after more than 45 days, the SPF Government is still dawdling over what to do. As reported earlier, a team of Life Sciences scholars from Manipur University has already identified the medicinal properties of the said plant as well as its scientific name.

This in essence means that the plant has been known to the Ayurveda world for some time now. Moreover the Science and Technology Department of the State Government is believed to have already submitted the report of its investigation to the Government and the same has been acknowledged by the authority concerned.

The question now is why the State Government is still dithering over taking a decision to come to the logical conclusion.

Any scientific research, the result of which will stand the test of time as well as the scrutiny of the world will no doubt take time as well as resources, but this should not be the over riding issue, for the ultimate aim should be to study how far Manipur and the people of Saikot can extract the benefits from the plant.

If the State agencies are not equipped to conduct the necessary investigation satisfactorily, there is always the option of inviting some of the well established firms, well known for their Ayurveda medicines, for example, Hamdard, Dabur, Hindustan etc.

The modalities or the details can be worked out accordingly, given a little effort from the side of the Government.

Related News and article on 'Miracle Plant'

• The Saikawt Phenomena :: Robert Baite
• Which Croton caudatus is 'Damdei'? :: Rajkumar Kishor
• "Cancer Curing Plant contains Alkaloids and Steroids" :: Bachaspatimayum Sunzu
• Saikot undergoes 'miracle' change :: TSE - 24th June, 2008
• Saikot plant distribution day :: TSE - 23rd June, 2008
• Session notes pros/cons of 'miracle plant' :: TSE - 22nd June, 2008
• Saikot plant: Govt acknowledges MSTD report :: TSE - 21st June, 2008
• 'Miracle' plant :: TSE - 20th June, 2008
• Ayush doctors to conduct test on Saikot plant :: TSE - 19th June, 2008
• Cautionary notes on 'miracle plant' :: TSE - 18th June, 2008
• Saikot stays awake as miracle plant seekers swarm :: TSE - 15th June, 2008
• Claims over 'miracle' plant from Saikot :: TSE - 13th June, 2008
• 'First to identify' claim staked :: TSE - 12th June, 2008
• 'Miracle' plant from Saikot :: TSE - 11th June, 2008

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