Q. Recently, there was a growing awareness in our country about the importance of Himalayan nettle (Girardinia diversifolia) because it is found to be a sustainable source of
- anti-malarial drug
- biodiesel
- pulp for paper industry
- textile fibre
Answer: (d) textile fibre
Notes:
- Girardinia diversifolia (Himalayan nettle), a fibre-yielding plant, has become an important livelihood option for people living in the remote mountainous villages of the Hindu Kush Himalaya.
- There is a community in Khar, a hamlet in Darchula district in western Nepal, which produces fabrics from Himalayan nettle.
- The fabric and the things made from it are sold in local as well as national and international markets as high-end products.
- There are various uses of Girardinia diversifolia (Himalayan nettle). They are as follows:
- It is largely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases such as gastric disorders, chest pain, rheumatism, tuberculosis, headache, joint aches, diabetes, asthma, gastritis, headache, joint pain, tuberculosis, gonorrhea and delivery problems.
- Other traditional uses are related to the treatment of bone fracture, internal injury and blood purification.
- It is also famous for the uses of the bast fiber of its bark, for making varieties of clothing, ropes, mats, sacks and other domestic implements. In this context, it is one of the most important non-timber forest products used for income generation among rural communities in the Himalaya region of Nepal for their livelihood.
- Young leaves and inflorescences are cooked as a green vegetable. Roasted seeds are consumed as pickle.
- At the 5th International Herbal Trade Fair held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, nettle products from Khar caught the attention of some of the state’s highest dignitaries as well as locals and tourists.
- Locals were mesmerised by the idea of producing valuable fabric with something that grows abundantly in local surroundings.
- They were keen on learning about nettle processing and applying the same technique to yield fabric from the Himalayan nettle, locally pronounced as “bicchoo ghas” in their area.
