Lucknow, May 22: The state government is planning to enhance the role of newly formed UP State Biodiversity Board (UPSBB). Talking to Newsline, UPSBB chairman VN Garg, who is also Principal Secretary, Forest, said six experts’ committees, constituted after the first meeting of the board in February this year, are already working on this plan.
“The committees are expected to submit their reports within a month. On the basis of their recommendations, future plans of the board will be prepared and its area of function will be subsequently increased,” he said.
Garg was in the Capital to participate in the national seminar on ‘Biodiversity and Climate Change’, on the occasion of International Biodiversity Day, organised by the UPSBB.
The UPSBB was constituted on September 20, 2006, under the Biodiversity Act, 2002. Its members include officials from forest, environment, horticulture, agriculture and animal husbandry departments of UP government. The board also includes five expert members from organisations such as Central Drug Research Institute and National Botanical Research Institute. Six committees have been formed to study ethno-botanical concepts, medicinal plants, agricultural plants and sustainable sharing of benefits that come from biological resources.
Explaining the ill-effects of imbalances in biodiversity, Garg said: “Indiscriminate and thoughtless development has threatened the existence of many life forms. Forests are depleting. Icebergs are melting. And the temperature has been surging every year... There is a close linkage between biodiversity conservation and adverse climatic changes. Why should we think that we are the only species in this world? We are just a part of bio-diversity. The model of development should be such that it does not disturb the ecological balance.”
Fateh Bahadur Singh, Minister of State, Forest and Wildlife, said, “Uttar Pradesh has been left with very little forest cover after its division from Uttarakhand and we have to make dedicated efforts to improve the situation.” “Our priority will be to stop illegal felling of trees... we’ll also carry out a statewide campaign to plant one crore trees by July 31 with the support of NGOs, students, teachers and local people,” he added.
He said forest officials would be given adequate resources for better management. He added that he would present a budget of Rs 5 crore for the UPSBB in the Assembly session. Talking on bio-piracy, S Kannaiyan, Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority, said, “There have been cases when some countries have claimed our plants, medicines and grains as theirs. It’s a matter of serious concern.”
Addressing the technical session, SPS Ahlawat, Director, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, lamented the rapid loss of live stock. “There is no law or committee that can protect the domestic animals.” He suggested that indiscriminate crossbreeding should be banned as it causes threat to indigenous breeds.
A photo contest was organised earlier in the day. The winners included Dr J S Murthy, Trilochan Singh, Praveen Rao, Sandeep Rastogi and Deepak Ghosh. A collection of poems on wildlife and biodiversity conservation “The Little Sparrow” written by Mohammed Ahsan, Chief Wildlife Warden, was released on the occasion by the Forest Minister.
