Odisha’s biodiversity is an important part of India’s vast biodiversity, which contributes significantly to the forest and ecological landscape of the country. The state has a total forest and tree cover of 57,160 sq km, which is 36.71% of the total geographical area, said Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Sing Khuntia on Thursday.
While speaking at the state-level International Day for Biological Diversity celebration organized by the State Biodiversity Board here, the Minister said Odisha is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, with forests, agricultural lands, grasslands, wetlands, salt marshes, coastal areas, river valleys, sand dunes, dry lands, etc. The State has notable features such as the largest brackish water lake Chilika and extensive dry rainforests.
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Odisha is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, with forests, agricultural lands, grasslands, wetlands, salt marshes, coastal areas, river valleys, sand dunes, dry lands, etc. The State has notable features such as the largest brackish water lake Chilika and extensive dry rainforests.
Harmony with nature is essential to provide a better quality of life to the people of our state and we have to protect the most vital and rich biodiversity of the state. It is our duty to promote responsible use of natural resources including land, water, animals and forests and ensure their availability for future generations. In this regard, the curriculum needs to include various sustainable practices and educate students. By adopting these principles and adopting appropriate practices, we can create a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with nature, ensuring a healthy planet for all, he emphasized.
The Forest, Environment and Climate Change department has implemented several programmes to maintain environmental stability by mitigating the effects of climate change as much as possible, thereby preventing serious decline in forests. Forests are naturally important ecological areas where various types of wildlife live; the department has taken several steps to manage them properly, the minister further said.
The State Biodiversity Board was constituted in 2009 to advise the State Government on matters related to the objectives of the Biodiversity Act 2002. Within three years, in 2012, the Board formulated the Odisha Biodiversity Rules and has been implementing various measures in all parts of the State. The main objective of the Odisha Biodiversity Rules is to involve the general public at various levels for the conservation of biodiversity.
The rules include making the people of all the Gram Panchayats of the State aware of the biodiversity available in their surrounding environment and making proper use of it. The State Biodiversity Board has already constituted 7256 Biodiversity Management Committees. The Board is actively involved in spreading awareness among all stakeholders, the Minister concluded.