CHESSA, May 23: The Arunachal Pradesh Biodiversity Board (APBB) in collaboration with the environment & forests department celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity here in Papum Pare district on 22 May.
The day is celebrated every year to generate awareness among all the stakeholders on biodiversity issues. The theme for this year’s celebration was ‘Our biodiversity, our food, our health’.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF) Lalram Thanga, who attended the celebration, urged the people of Arunachal to be “more proactive in conservation, protection and preservation of nature’s bounty in the state.” He also stressed on judicious and sustainable use of natural resources.
Thanga highlighted the indigenous food habits of different tribes of the state, and the importance of these traditional knowledge systems.
He opined that Lali Anne mountain should be declared a biological diversity park as it could be a major tourist attraction because of its proximity to the state capital and its rich diversity of flora and fauna.
APBB Member Secretary Dusu Shra highlighted the role of the board and the importance of constituting biodiversity management committees (BMC) for conserving and creating awareness on biodiversity among the people.
SFRI scientist RK Taj emphasized the need to conserve and explore the rich biodiversity of the state. He also highlighted the rich biodiversity of Lali Anne mountain.
Earlier, the BMC team of Bam village took out a bus rally to generate awareness on the importance of the day, taking the route from Bam to Poma to Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, Banderdewa and Chessa.
Bam BMC chairman Nabam Regum also spoke.
More than 300 participants, including the chairmen and members of the BMCs of Bam, Ganga, Kokila, Lower Hollongi and Sangdupota, besides NGOs representatives, senior forest officers, scientists from the SFRI, the ZSI and the SMPB, teachers and students from different schools attended the programme.
Later, the BMC members were taken to different sections of the Van Vigyan Kendra in Itanagar as part of their field visit.
To mark the occasion, painting and essay competitions were also held among students of local schools, and prizes were given to the winners.
