Nava Raipur’s Dandakaranya Aranya Bhawan hosted a high-level workshop on Monday dedicated to conserving biodiversity and wetlands. The workshop saw the participation of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, alongside Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, Leader of Opposition Dr. Charan Das Mahant, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, and other ministers and MLAs.
During his address, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stressed that Chhattisgarh’s development is inextricably linked to environmental stability and the safeguarding of biological diversity, besides infrastructure development. He urged every representative and citizen to consider themselves personally responsible for biodiversity and wetland conservation, becoming ‘Wetland Mitras’ to transform the initiative into a people’s movement.
Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap, who led the workshop, asserted that protecting biodiversity and wetlands is paramount not only for environmental reasons, but also for ensuring the safety of future generations. He appealed to all representatives to actively participate in biodiversity conservation and to boost public awareness by embracing the role of Wetland Mitras.
The Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Biodiversity Board, Rakesh Chaturvedi, delivered a thorough presentation, encompassing details of the 1992 Earth Summit, the Biodiversity Act of 2002, the responsibilities of the National Biodiversity Board, and the structure and functions of Biodiversity Management Committees. He highlighted that Chhattisgarh stands as the third state in India with effective Biodiversity Management Committees.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Arun Kumar Pandey elaborated on the essential function of wetlands in maintaining ecological equilibrium. He elucidated the operational procedures of the State Wetland Authority and the creation of district-level wetland conservation committees, while emphasizing the committees’ role in strengthening local wetland monitoring and conservation efforts.
The workshop concluded with an appeal to all officials and representatives to join the ‘Wetland Mitra’ initiative, to actively contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and wetlands. This involvement is seen as a key step towards turning environmental consciousness into a widespread movement within the state. The event was also attended by Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Richa Sharma, Chhattisgarh Forest Force Chief V. Srinivas Rao, and key officials and experts from the Biodiversity Board.