RONO HILLS, Nov 3: Governor BD Mishra called for unified efforts of the world community in conservation and protection of natural environment.
Addressing the valedictory function of the fortnight-long ATREE-RGU autumn school training programme on ‘adapting to climate change’ here on Saturday, the governor said “the fine balance in nature is disturbed with the growing population pressure on earth and unlimited exploitation of resources,” and called for setting it right.
“All laws, rules and actions initiated proclivity should be in the interest of the people and the nation,” he said, emphasizing on “positive human management to preserve the biodiversity.”
Mishra gave away the participation certificates to the trainees, and released the training manual of the ATREE-RGU autumn school programme.
He lauded the university’s vice chancellor, its botany department, and Bangalore-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) for conducting the training programme.
RGU VC Prof Saket Kushwaha in his address urged the trainees and students to be more responsible towards nature, and said an increase of 20 degrees Celsius of global temperature would have disastrous consequences on the global biodiversity.
“The Northeast region of India, which is a global biodiversity hotspot rich in endemic flora and fauna of cultural, ecological and economic significance, needs to be preserved and protected for ensuring sustainable development and livelihood security among the local inhabitants,” Prof Kushwaha said.
He informed that 40 percent of the world economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor “are derived from biological resources.”
Lauding the academic output of the training manual titled ‘Methods manual for the biodiversity researchers of NE India’ prepared by the university’s botany department and the ATREE, he said it would be “a useful tool for future biodiversity researchers aiming to catalogue biodiversity for bringing about sustainable human and environmental development.”
RGU Botany HoD Dr Hui Tag spoke about the relevance of such biodiversity-based capacity building training in the context of Northeast India. ATREE’s Sikkim-based regional director Dr Sarala Khaling and ATREE senior fellow Dr Soubadra Devy also spoke.
Among others, the programme was attended by the autumn school programme’s adviser and former VC Prof Tamo Mibang, and RGU Registrar Dr Tomo Riba.
Research and PhD scholars from the Northeast region, including research scholars from RGU, attended the programme, which was aimed at enhancing research skills to explore, use and conserve the rich biodiversity heritage of the region for sustainable regional and national development while tackling issues such as climate change, adaptation, and mitigation. (Raj Bhavan and source)
