Need to conserve biodiversity: Dr Chavan

Dr Vishwas Chavan, Jeet Singh speaking in the webiste organised by MSBB on Friday.

Special Correspondent :

Dr Vishwas Chavan stressed the need for people centric approach to biodiversity, biodiversity conservation inclusive development and strengthening biodiversity conservation network. Dr Chavan, who hosted webinar organised by Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) to mark International Day for Biological Diversity with the theme of ‘Our solutions are in nature’ on Friday.

The webinar was conducted on the online platform of google meet and many eminent experts, government officials, representatives of NGOs and retired forest officials participated. Jeet Singh, PCCF and Member-Secretary of the board, inaugurated the webinar. Dr Chavan further said that a strategy action plan for biodiversity should be prepared by getting funding support from national and international bodies dedicated to environmental conservation. Stressing the need for biodiversity conscious Maharashtra, he expressed views on initiatives like Mahnisarg, local networks of biological heritage sites and people’s participation in this process. Discussing integration of landscape planning, Dr Chavan lamented that the local self-government bodies have not received any access to benefit sharing so far.

The gram panchayats would take interest in the work if they get benefit sharing, a provision made in Biodiversity Act, he added. In his address, Jeet Singh summarised the status of biodiversity and People Biodiversity Registers (PBRs). He focused on how MSBB has made PBR from a scientific document to people’s movement and its importance. Dr Dipak Apte, Director, Bombay Natural History Society, expressed his views on Biodiversity Lessons Learnt from Covid-19 Panemic while Dr Nandan Nwan from Tata Energy Research Institute, spoke on Biodiversity Driven Sustainable Development. Dr Aparna Watve, Member of Plant Expert Committee of MSBB addressed on Glimpses of Biodiversity of Maharashtra. V K Sinha, former Member-Secretary of MSBB, Dr Rahul Mungikar, Dr Amit Sethiya and Dr Adhikrao Jadhav actively interacted in the webinar. The speakers stressed the need for conservation of biodiversity.

Kalpana Temgire, DFO, conducted the programme and proposed a vote of thanks. Meanwhile, MSBB has formed 100 per cent BMCs by covering 28,649 bodies and prepared 21,526 PBRs, which is 76 per cent. National Green Tribunal had asked the States and Union Territories to prepare this work by January 31, 2020 otherwise they would be fined Rs 10 lakh per month. Maharashtra board has urged the tribunal for granting some period for completing PBRs and hence the court has sanctioned the period till August.