REPORT ON National Celebration of International
Day for Biological Diversity 2016 at Mumbai on 22-05-2016
The National Biodiversity Authority and Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MOEF& CC) had organised the National Celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity at Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium, Mumbai in between 18.00 to 20.00 hrs in association with the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board, Nagpur. The main theme of this year International Day for Biological Diversity was ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity: Sustaining People and their Livelihoods’. Shri C. Vidyasagar Rao, Hon'ble Governor Maharashtra State was the Chief Guest of the function and Shri Prakash Javadekar Hon'ble Union Minister for State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change (I/C) presided the function. The other guests on the dais were Dr. M. M. Kutti, Additional Secretary, MOEF& CC, Dr. B. Meenakumari, Chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority, Prof. R. Sukumar, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Dr. Vilas Bardekar, Chairman, Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board. The programme was also attended by Sujata Aurora, Adviser, MoEF& CC, Mr. T. Rabikumar, Secretary, NBA, Mr Dilip Singh, Member Secretary, Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board and others.
Prof. R. Sukumar delivered a lecture on ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation & Livelihood to Landscape Planning’. During this function, India Biodiversity Awards 2015 and Maharashtra Biodiversity Awards, 2015 were presented to the winners.
On this occasion, the dignitaries also released three publications viz., India Nationally Celebrating the India Biodiversity Awards, Communication Materials on Linkage with SDG’s & National Biodiversity and Ceropegias of Maharashtra.
On behalf of Botanical Survey of India, officials from BSI, WRC, Pune viz., Dr. P. Lakshminarasimhan, Scientist ‘E’ & HoO, Dr. Priyanka Ingle, Scientist ‘B’, Ms. Prachiti Mule, Bot. Asstt., Mr. Amit Pandey, Sr. Pres. Asstt. and Mr. D.S.Thakar, Fieldman of BSI, WRC, Pune arranged one stall at Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium, Mumbai and also attended the programme. Also Mr. Alok Chorge, Ex-SRF, BSI and Mr. S.V. Shirodkar, DCM, BSI, WRC, Pune helped in arranging the stall. In this stall, a total of 19 posters were displayed as given below:
1. International Day for Biological Diversity 22nd May, 2016. Mainstreaming Biodiversity: Sustaining People and their Livelihoods.
2. Flowering Plants of India
3. Gymnosperms of India
4. Liverworts & Hornworts of India
5. Lichens of India
6. Fresh Water Micro-Algae of India
7. Macro Fungi of India
8. Botanical Paintings
9. Paphiopedilumsof India
10. Plant Diversity of Maharashtra
11. Plant Diversity of Karnataka
12. Plant Diversity of Goa
13. Endemic Plants of Goa, Karnataka & Maharashtra
14. Orchids of Western Ghats
15. Pteridophytes of Maharashtra
16. Marine Macro-Algae of Maharashtra Coast
17. Floristic Diversity of Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Maharashtra
18. Flora of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra
19. Flora of Bhagwan Mahavir (Molem) National Park, Goa
Along with these posters, five saplings of Endemic plants viz., Frereaindica Dalzell, Crinum brachynema Herb., Curcuma pseudomontana J. Graham, Arisaema murrayi (J. Graham) Hook. And Eulophia spectabilis (Dennst.) Suresh and 25 recent BSI publications were also displayed in the stall. Hon'ble Chairperson of NBA Dr. B. Meenakumari inaugurated the exhibitionat 16.00 and visited the BSI stall along with Dr. Vilas Bardekar, Chairman, MSBB. Shri Prakash Javadekar Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change (I/c) visited the BSI stall at 17.30 hrs along with Dr. M. M. Kutti, Additional Secretary, MOEF&CC, Dr. B. Meenakumari & Dr. Vilas Bardekar. Shri C.Vidyasagar Rao, Hon'ble Governor, Maharashtra State visited the BSI stall at 20.00 hrs after the main function. BSI stall was also visited by Mr Dilip Singh, Member Secretary, MSBB and Dr. Erach Bharucha, Ex-Chairman, Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board. Besides, number of Forest Guards and invitees from different Institutions and colleges also visited the BSI stall. BSI gave ‘Plastic Waste-Free India’ pamphlets to all visitors and requested them to spread the message of making India Plastic Waste-free. Forest Department (Maharashtra), BNHS (Mumbai), ICAR-CIFE, ICAR-CMFRI & ICAR-CIFT(Mumbai) and Mangrove Cell (Mumbai) also displayed their stalls at Y.B. Chavan Auditorium.
Shri Prakash Javadekar Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change (I/c) appreciated the BSI stall and suggested in his inaugural address that everyone should visit the BSI stall. The function was concluded with vote of thanks by Dr. Vilas Bardekar, Chairman, MSBB.
P. Lakshminarasimhan
Scientist ‘E’ & Head of Office
Botanical Survey of India
Western Regional Centre
7-Koregaon Road
Pune 411 001
