‘Let us work for biodiversity conservation’

| | KORAPUT | in Bhubaneswar

Inaugurating the seminar on “Biodiversity Conservation: Issues and Challenges” at the Central University of Orissa (CUO), Vice-Chancellor Prof Sachidananda Mohanty said for a better world, conservation of biodiversity is the utmost necessity and it requires people’s participation and multidisciplinary approach in solving environmental problems.

The Vice-Chancellor highlighted the importance of biodiversity studies and asked the students to become environmental entrepreneurs.

The seminar was organised by the Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources of the CUO to mark the International Day of Biodiversity on May 22.

Prof Sharat Kumar Palita, Dean of the School, welcomed the guests and presented the theme paper. He highlighted the importance of biodiversity conservation and challenges faced by it.

Director, ICAR Soil and Water Research Institute, Sunabeda and chief guest-cum-chief speaker Dr M Madhu spoke on the importance of soil and water conservation for conserving biodiversity. He statistically explained the root cause of the loss of nutrients in soils and the negative impacts of soil erosion. He gave thrust on the basic factors for the loss in biodiversity in terms of agriculture, forestry and the impact of shifting cultivation on forest resource conservation.

Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (RCCF), Koraput PK Mallic spoke on the importance of diverse wild flora and its vanishing trend in the modern times.

He also emphasised on the study of natural forest areas, its natural resources and called upon everybody to make nature the living laboratory for the students of biodiversity.

A biodiversity documentary film “Koraput: The Rooted Paradise” prepared by research scholars was displayed on the occasion. The dignitaries inaugurated a “Biodiversity Photo Exhibition” and second issue of wall magazine “Biome”.