ITANAGAR, 4 May: Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) DC Talo Potom convened a meeting here with all stakeholders on Thursday in connection with the state biodiversity strategy and action plan (SBSAP).
“It is important to conserve biodiversity and maintain the ecological balance in which we as individuals have an important role to play,” the DC said, and added that “the board has to proactively work for the development and sustenance of biodiversity.”
SBSAP chairman Tayek Goi said that “the interdependence of species exists to maintain ecological balance; hence it is high time to think and develop ways to protect the ecosystem,” while Research Officer Bamin Yakang highlighted why it is important to conserve biodiversity while progressing ahead with development.
She informed that the Arunachal Pradesh Biodiversity Board was established in 2005 “with an aim to ensure the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components.”
Ranju Dodum from WWF-India which organised the meeting along with the Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSSB) informed that the SBSAP “is an action plan for conserving nature, promoting sustainable use, and adopting sustainable development pathways.”
He explained why a “transformative and inclusive” SBSAP is needed, and how “Arunachal is uniquely positioned to showcase the coexistence of people and nature in harmony.”
Stressing that awareness generation is the need of the hour, Dodum sought cooperation from the stakeholders for “preparing a plan that is successfully not just on paper but in practice.”
Model Village HGB Techi Murkhi recalled the days when there used to be varieties of fishes in Geykar Sinyi (Ganga Lake). “A few of them have become extinct, and not just fauna but flora are also becoming extinct,” he added.
NES general secretary Heri Maring and APWWS president Kani Nada Maling stressed the need to protect the catchment area for water conservation, and spoke about how conservation of water can be taken up as a pilot project in a few locations in the ICR.
A discussion on identification of key areas/species/sites of ecological importance within the ICR, sharing of traditional knowledge/practices/norms linked to forest, biodiversity conservation and development priorities, etc, was also held.
ADC Jiken Bomjen suggested that “plantation can be made a mandatory provision during land allotment as a measure to improve the biodiversity.” (DIPRO)
