Call for community participation towards conservation of environment
Our Correspondent
Kisama | June 5
Minister for Forest, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife & Excise M.C. Konyak today launched the “Year of plantation” in Nagaland and called for active participation of the community towards conservation of the environment. Launching the programme here this morning in coinciding with the observation of World Environment Day, the Minister said that as per the latest report of the forest survey of India, the loss of forest cover in Nagaland was 201 sq. kms between 2005 and 2007.
“The major cause of this loss can be attributed to the prevailing practice of Jhum cultivation in the state,” he said adding that this coupled with other causes such as deforestation, urbanization and climate change can have a devastating effect on the biodiversity of the state.The presence of a large number of endemic and rare species in the state makes the biodiversity of the state very susceptible to any change in the environment, he said adding that in cognizance of this, the state’s forest department had declared 2010 as the year of plantation.
“This is envisaged to be an extensive season covering the entire state and will involve participants from diverse walks of life such as the church, education sector, rural farmers and members from civil society,” he said adding the programme was part of the effort undertaken to bring back the green cover of the state to its desired level.
To make it a reality, he said participation and cooperation from the people was of utmost importance and further made a clarion call to each and every citizen of the state to take up the challenge “before us to make our state a paradigm for sustainable development.”
He also invited the youth to actively involve in the programme of the year of plantation and in matters of conservation of the environment “because ultimately the future and whatever remains will be yours.” Although the state of Nagaland has a geographical area of only 16,579 sq.km, it harbors very rich and unique biodiversity with the state being a part of the Indo-Burma diversity hotspot.
The state has very rich floral and fauna diversity, the minister said adding “this richness is evident in the fact that there are 2,431 species of flowering plants in the state as well as 9 non flowering species and a large number of these plant species are endemic to the state or the northeastern part of India.”
He said the fauna of the state has not been comprehensively documented, as such; the exact figure for the species diversity of animals in the state is not available. However, the richness of animal diversity in the state can be gauged by the presence of many species endemic to the state that fall in the rare endangered or threatened category of the IUCN. The state boasts of the presence of the tallest rhododendron in the world, the tallest rice plant, rare orchids such as the Tiger orchid and rare threatened animals such as the Hoolock gibbon, the Blythe’s Trogopan, Mrs Hume’s Bar tailed pheasant etc.
Also referring to the observance of World Environment Day, the minister challenged the people to “consider carefully of actions each of us must take, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on Earth.” “Through World Environment day, we can employ our individual and collective power to stem the tide of extinction. Our conservation action has brought some species back from the brink, and has restored some vital natural habitats around the world,” the minister said and challenged the people to resolve to do much more, and much faster, to win the race against extinction.
MLA Vikho- Yhoshu and Sashidhar, additional PCCF also spoke on the occasion. The function was chaired by Elusing Meru, secretary (Forests) while K.R. Lyngdoh, Additional PCCF proposed vote of thanks.
