Date:14/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/14/stories/2009011451140200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

“Safeguard biodiversity”

Staff Reporter

Many papers on environmental upkeep presented by delegates

TIRUCHI: Achieving the millennium goals in education and poverty eradication can be possible only through safeguarding biodiversity, speakers emphasised at the two-day national seminar on ‘Emerging Issues in Biodiversity Management’ at the Bharathidasan University.

Several papers on environmental upkeep were presented by delegates from all over the country, during the recent seminar. The seminar organiser and Head, Department of Environmental Management, M. Ravichandran said that the seminar encompassed six sessions in frontier areas.

The Convention on Bio Diversity forbids exploitation of species. Biodiversity can serve the needs but not the greed of man, the Member Secretary of National Biodiversity Authority, K.Venkataraman, said, delivering the valedictory address.

Tropical countries account for 65 per cent of the biodiversity, and ten biographic zones have distinct fauna and flora. India, Dr. Venkataraman said, has rich floral and faunal diversity, with 50,000 varieties of rice including scented variety; about 764 sugar cane varieties; 1,000 tuber crops; 150 varieties of mango; 14 varieties of Jackfruit; 50 varieties of spices etc.

The hottest Chilly in the world is in north east India, he said.