SHILLONG, MAY 22: The International Day for Biodiversity was observed throughout the state on Wednesday.
Speaking at a function to mark the day at the U Soso Tham Auditorium, State Central Library here, state forest and environment minister Prestone Tynsong iterated that the state would soon have one more elephant reserve. “We are already in the process of having another elephant reserve in West Khasi hills district apart from the existing one in Garo hills,” he said.
Pointing out that biodiversity plays a very important role in the changing world, the minister said: “Global warming is a major issue of concern among the people of the world.”
Tynsong said the Meghalaya State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) would soon get a full-fledged chairman as mandated by the Biodiversity Act, 2003.
Essay and painting competitions were also organized on the occasion in which more than 60 schools participated.
Tynsong released a book titled “Butterflied of the Garo Hills” and distributed prizes to the winners of the competitions.
An award for the Best Soldier of Wild Biodiversity Conservation Movement was presented to Daniella Lamare a Class XII student of BSF Public School in the under-18 category and Khran Lyngdoh in the senior category for rescuing a water monitor lizard.
The social Forestry Division of West Garo Hills also organized an awareness program on “Water and Bio-diversity” in collaboration with Integrated People for Tourism and Conservation (IPTAC) and National Survey Scheme (NSS) of Tura Govt. College at St. Claret Secondary School, Ampati, in South-West Garo hills district.
Speaking on the occasion, Shekar K Sangma, jt. director of soil and water conservation urged the students in particular and the people of the area in general to strive towards restoring the natural environment.
Firdaus A Momin, lecturer and programme officer, NSS, Tura Govt. College, in his introductory speech informed that the NSS has a plan to rejuvenate the Gandrak Stream in Tura.
Vaishali A Sangma, general secretary, IPTAC, gave a power-point presentation on degrading environment and its impacts on bio-diversity. (By Our Reporter)
Do they really mean what they preach…Oh but the speech may have been written by some Babu…just for name sake when they are amending acts to allow them to destroy all forests …..