Importance of biodiversity conservation highlighted

From our Correspondent

DIGBOI, April 25: Digboi College and Digboi Forest Department jointly initiated a plantation drive recently at the Digboi College campus, thus becoming a part of the Green Tinsukia Movement, a programme initiated by Tinsukia district administration under the leadership of Puru Gupta, the Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia and Digboi Forest Division.

The programme was organized by the Wildlife Conservation Biology, under the Department of Zoology, Digboi College. In the meeting that followed after the plantation drive, various eminent guests, distinguished persons, members of zila parishad, members of Joint Forest Magement Scheme of Digboi Forest Division, students and various NGOs also expressed their concern towards the fast diminishing green cover.

The meeting started with the iugural speech by Principal of Digboi College followed by sppech by the DFO Digboi Forest Division and retired professor Hitendra th Sarma, who was former Principal of Margherita College.  He urged the gathering to protect the forests and undertake a massive plantation drive.

The Principal of Digboi College, also speaking in the same vein, urged the gathering to make the Green Tinsukia Movement a success. He also said that Digboi College was only college in India which had started the Wildlife Conservation Biology Course for the first time, under the UGC Career Orientation Course, in order to make the masses aware about the importance of biodiversity conservation.  He announced that a biodiversity centre would soon be started in Digboi College and at Saraipung Interpretation Centre, information about the rich biodiversity of the region would also be made available.               

Rajib Rudra Tariang, a wildlife biologist and Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, who is also the course coorditor of the Wildlife Conservation Biology Course, gave a talk on ‘Climate Change and its impact on Human Society’. He also highlighted how weather had changed due to massive deforestation across the globe. He also urged the audience to reduce the use of wood products to control deforestation, and replace wood products with fibre plastic or iron wherever applicable to reduce the global warming problem.  He also highlighted how carbon dioxide had increased due to rapid deforestation. According to latest data available from tiol Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration - Earth System Research Laboratory (NOAA-ESRL), US, the global carbon dioxide had increased up to 400.26 ppm this year against the 350 ppm norm, which was recorded in the year 1985. This increased carbon dioxide had also rejuveted the global warming problem and resulted in glacial ice melting.

Baputi Handique, an avid bird watcher, who is a member of Wildlife Conservation Society of Assam, Digboi, also presented his clippings on birds in Tinsukia district. He also highlighted the importance of birds in the ecosystem. Office bearers of Aaranyak, Evergreen Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society of Assam and women self-help groups were also present in the meeting.