Forest ministers for common strategy to conserve ecosystem

The Pioneer , Saturday, November 04, 2006
Correspondent : Staff Reporter
Pioneer News Service

Thiruvananthapuram: The two-day conference of Forest Ministers of the Southern States has decided to evolve a common strategy and work together for the protection and conservation of unique ecosystems in the region.

State Forest Minister Binoy Viswam told reporters that the two-day conference, which began on Friday, had also asked the Centre to convene a national meeting of forest ministers to discuss measures for environment and wildlife protection. The meet opined that a political decision for more budgetary allocation was required for implementing the Central Forests Policy which envisaged increasing the forest cover to 33.33 per cent of the geographical area by 2012, he said.

Combined efforts would be made by the States to conserve and utilise the resources in the Western Ghats , he said. Tamil Nadu Forest Minister N Selvaraj, who inaugurated the meet, said the southern States would jointly work for the prevention of illegal felling of trees along the border. Common action programmes would be worked out to check sandalwood smuggling, poaching and encroachment. Uniform legislation would be considered for protection of threatened plant and animal species with the aim of improving their habitat, Selvaraj said.

Karnataka Forest Minister C Chennigappa said a vigilance squad would be formed to prevent timber smuggling. States would share information on smugglers and increase patrolling on forest borders. Construction of roads through forest areas including national parks should be controlled, he said.

Andhra Pradesh Forest Minister Vijayaramaraja and Inspector General, Union Ministry of Forest and Environment K Balachandran Thampi were also present.

 
SOURCE : The Pioneer, Saturday, November 4, 2006
 


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