Make bio-diversity preservation a people's movement: Governor

Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao today called for making preservation of bio-diversity a "people's movement" and exhorted the youth to become stakeholders in efforts to preserve flora, fauna and other varieties of life.
"Drastic climatic changes witnessed in the country are posing serious challenges like droughts and floods leading to loss of bio-diversity. Needless to say, India needs a comprehensive policy to tackle the global climatic change to protect the life and livelihood of our people and to protect bio-diversity," the Governor said.
He was addressing a gathering organised by National Biodiversity Authority under Ministry of Environment to commemorate International Day for Biological Diversity.

On the occasion, Rao underlined the need for a partnership among the governments, business organisations, agricultural research institutions, NGOs and farmers to meetchallenges of food security and also of preserving the biological diversity.
"Time has come to make the bio-diversity preservation a people's movement. We are a nation with highest number of youths. We must make youths stakeholders in the effort to preserve our biodiversity.
"I do feel that the International Day of Biological Diversity should be celebrated in villages, towns and cities, in village panchayats and in Municipal Corporations," he added.

Rao said the Day should also be celebrated in all schools and colleges to sensitise the students about bio-diversity and the impending threats to it.

"We must persuade the corporate sector to take up the conservation of biodiversity as part of their social responsibility obligation.
"Empowering Gram Sabhas in the scheduled areas will go a long way in preserving biodiversity. We must provide incentives to Gram Panchayats preserving biodiversity and empowering communities," the Governor said.
He said that as the chancellor of agricultural universities in Maharashtra, he would ask all vice-chancellors to take up the subject of biodiversity on top of their agenda.