Message on World Wildlife Day-2021: Conserve Biodiversity, reduce use of polythene
World Wildlife Day-2021was celebrated in Uttarakhand Council for Science & Technology on 3rd March, 2021 in joint collaboration with UCOST & NASI UK chapter. The theme for this year is “Forest (WL) & Livelihood: Sustaining People & Planet”. The program was attended by chief guest Sh Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, Principal, Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS), Dehradun; Dr Rajendra Dobhal, Director General, UCOST; Sh. G.S. Rautela, Advisor Science City, Dehradun and Dr D.P.Uniyal, Joint Director, UCOST.
Dr Aparna, Sr. Scientific Officer, UCOST briefed the participants about the program. Dr Dobhal welcomed all the guest and participants. He said that this year’s theme ‘Forest and Livelihood: Sustaining People and Planet’ perfectly matched in context with Uttarakhand state. He also focused on human wild life conflict across the world. The Chief Guest of the program, Sh Kunal Satyarthi delivered a keynote lecture on “Forest (WL) & Livelihood: Sustaining People & Planet”. He said that forest bank is the only bank in the world which always gives, but never takes back anything. Quoting beautiful lines said by Albert Einstein, he said, “If Bees go extinct from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than three years left to live”. Mr Satyarthi said that Nature had blessed our country with abundant biodiversity- 200 forest types and very high degree of endemism in reptile and amphibian species. However, it is distressing to know that due to uncontrolled anthropogenic activities, species are becoming extinct at an alarming rate of about 150 species per day. Stressing upon the significance of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) provision of Biodiversity Act 2002, he said that biodiversity conservation efforts would be successful only by community involvement and ensuring that the last man in any random village gets its benefits. He urged the audience to make a pledge of minimizing use of polythene as the most meaningful takeaway of celebrating World Wildlife Day.
Dr D.P.Uniyal, Joint Director, UCOST delivered a vote of thanks to the guest, participants and all the council’s staff. The session was quite interactive. Students asked their queries to the keynote speakers. Approximately 150 participants from Beehive College, Dehradun; Tulas Institute, Dehradun; BFIT, Dehradun; Shivalik College of Engineering, Dehradun; Uttaranchal University, Dehradun; Dolphin Institute of Biomedical & Natural Sciences, Dehradun and UCOST staff attended the program.
