The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1887 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire. The British East India Company had already established botanical gardens at Sibpur, Poona, Saharanpur and Madras as centres for improving botanical knowledge and experimentation under the local Governments. For example, the Saharanpur botanical garden, which dates from before 1750, was acquired by the East India Company in 1817 for growing medicinal plants. Most of the EIC botanical gardens' work was for the cultivation of plants of interest in commerce and trade.
The Botanical Survey was formally instituted on February 13, 1890 under the direction of Sir George King, who had been superintendent of Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta since 1871.
King became the first ex-officio Director of BSI. The Calcutta Garden became the headquarters of the Survey and was given regional responsibility for Bengal, Assam, North East, Burma, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
What are its OBJECTIVES ?
- Primary Objectives
- To survey the plant resources of the country.
- To undertake and complete taxonomic studies of all the flora of the country.
- To enlist the endangered species, to undertake measures for the effective conservation and to collect and maintain germplasm and gene bank of endangered, patent and vulnerable species.
- To bring out volumes of National Flora and Flora of States/Union Territories.
- To identify, collect and preserve specimens of plants which are economically and otherwise beneficial to human being and
- To prepare National Database of herbarium collection including types, live collections, plant genetic resources, plant distribution and nomenclature.
- Secondary Objectives
- To undertake studies on selected critical and fragile ecosystems.
- To undertake assessment of flora relating to environment impact studies as and when called for;
- To undertake ethnobotanical studies and evaluate plants of economic utility in specified areas and
- To carry out geobotanical studies in specified areas.
Recent news
Heritage panel to insist on 'botanical' status for zoo
Times of India - Sukhada Tatke - 11 hours ago
The BMC has got a letter from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) stating that it is not a botanical garden, but the BSI does not have any authority over ...
Madhav Gadgil report suggests formation of scientists' network
Times of India - Swati Shinde - 2 May 2010
As part of the effort, the task force has prepared a blueprint for upgradation of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of India ...
