International Day for Biological Diversity was celebrated on Wednesday at Angul. The event was jointly organised by the Nature Environment and Wildlife Society and the District Environment Society.
Speaking on the occasion, Steel and Mines Minister Rajanikant Singh said the Mandaragiri hillock near Angul is rich in healing vegetation and hence, there is a need to protect it for the future generations. He praised the local people’s initiatives for protection of the forests by implementing the traditional methods.
District Collector Aravind Agrawal presided over the meeting. He highlighted on preparation of a management plan for better conservation and management of the important ecological area.
Other research fellows included Dr Prasad Dash and Prasanna Behera. They presented the status of the floral and faunal diversity of the Mandaragiri. The formation of Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) and preparation of People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR) were recommended in the meeting by the biodiversity experts.
The local people also appealed the guests for putting their efforts in declaration of Mandaragiri as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).
Other important guests included Angul DFO Jagamohan Mishra, Agriculture Deputy Director V Nagaraju, Satkosia DFO Pradip Sethi and DRDA PD Udhava Kar.
A data base information and study report leaflet on Mandaragiri was inaugurated by the guests. The leaders of the village institutions like Vana Suraksha Smittee (VSS), lawyers, environmentalists, scribes, Government officials and NGO representatives were present.