Chhattisgarh CM calls for ensuring environmental balance and biodiversity conservation

Raipur, Jul 14 (PTI) Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday said the vision of a developed Chhattisgarh is incomplete without ensuring environmental balance and biodiversity conservation.

Addressing a workshop held at Dandakaranya Aranya Bhawan in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, he urged every public representative and citizen to take personal responsibility in conserving biodiversity and wetlands by joining the campaign as 'Wetland Mitras (friends)' and turning it into a mass movement.

The vision of a developed Chhattisgarh is incomplete without ensuring environmental balance and biodiversity conservation, an official statement quoted the CM as saying at the event organised by the state's Forest and Climate Change department.

In his address, Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap emphasized that the conservation of biodiversity and wetlands is not merely an environmental requirement, but also a matter of securing the future of coming generations.

He appealed to public representatives to actively participate in biodiversity conservation and spread awareness by becoming 'Wetland Mitras'.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Arun Kumar Pandey explained to the gathering that wetlands play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance.

Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the associated plant and animal life.

Pandey informed about functioning of the State Wetland Authority and formation of district-level Wetland Conservation Committees, which are strengthening local monitoring and conservation efforts across Chhattisgarh.

It was also informed during the event that the Gidhwa-Parsada Bird Sanctuary in the state is eligible to be recognised as a Ramsar site based as per international standards. Additionally, the process to list Khokhra village in Balodabazar district as Chhattisgarh's first official Ramsar site is currently underway, the release said.

The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of ecological diversity and for sustaining human life.

Assembly Speaker Raman Singh, Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma and other cabinet ministers were present at the workshop. PTI TKP RSY