Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 22: Advisor to Governor, K Vijay Kumar today highlighted the importance of biodiversity which is essential for sustainable development and human well-being in present world. He said that coordinated efforts need to be made for conservation of biological diversity to ensure the sustainable utilization of life support systems on earth.
The Advisor said this while addressing the participants during celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity organized by J&K State Biodiversity Board/State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) J&K in collaboration with SKUAST-Kashmir at its Shalimar Campus in Srinagar.
Theme of this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity was “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health” and it focuses on biodiversity as the foundation of our food, health and a key catalyst to transforming food systems and improving human health.
Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K Prof Nazir Ahmad, PCCF J&K Suresh Chugh, Chairman JKSPCB Ravi Kesar, Director SFRI, O P Sharma, Director Ecology Environment & Remote Sensing B Siddhartha Kumar, Director ISM Dr Phuntsog Angchuk, CCF Kashmir Farooq Gillani, other senior officers of Forest & allied departments, Faculty and students of SKUAST-K were present on the occasion.
The Advisor along with the other dignitaries inspected the stalls established by various departments/faculty including Forest, Horticulture, SFRI, Wildlife Protection, National Medicinal Plant Board, Fisheries, Agriculture, Sericulture, Unani Medicine Srinagar, DARS Budgam, Veterinary Sciences, College of Temperate Sericulture and others.
K Vijay Kumar while interacting with the staff at the stalls, enquired about the products they have displayed and their efforts for the conservation of biodiversity. He also held brief discussion with the experts on the topic and asked them to share their expertise and knowledge with the concerned agencies/departments so that their suggestions/inputs are utilized in making an effective bio-diversity conservation plan.
He also asked the experts in rendering their support to develop State’s Medicinal Plant Board and expand its activities related to development and sustainable use of medicinal plants in the state. The Advisor commended the efforts of all participants for putting in their strong efforts in the field of biodiversity and working towards its conservation. He said that damage has already been caused to the biological diversity but still our united efforts can bring a positive change in this regard.
On the occasion, On-Spot Painting & Photography Competition on the theme, Kashmir Himalyan Biodiversity – A Rich Heritage was also organized in which students of SKUAST-K participated and displayed their talent.
To mark the occasion, the Advisor also planted a sapling of ‘Ginkgo biloba’ also called maidenhairs tree which is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta, all others being extinct.
Meanwhile, Delhi Public School Nagbani, Jammu – (West) celebrated World’s Biodiversity Day today by organizing a rally in which students holding banners of different slogans on the conservation of the environment and wearing animal masks took a round of the surrounding area of the school and Maharani Bagh for encouraging the people to accept the fact that India’s biodiversity is threatened by the destruction and degradation of ecosystem and by over exploitation of species.
The main aim of the rally was to create awareness about conserving natural resources like air, water, land, forest, fossil fuels, plants and animals for future generations.
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