IBSD hosts discourse on importance of Himalayan ranges
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 09 2021:
The Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Takyelpat observed "Himalayan Day" on Thursday by holding a virtual seminar on the topic "Himalaya: Science and Knowledge".
The observance was held in connection with Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and to offer tribute to the great Himalaya, said an IBSD released informing that The Himalaya serves 1.9 billion people of 10 nations and therefore, it needs special attention to protect from unscrupulous development activities and poor understanding damaging this important ecosystem.
"Celebration of Himalayan Day has been an effort to bring every stakeholders, community organizations, academicians, etc, together to contemplate collectively on the current and the future state of Himalaya under the leadership of IBSD director Prof Pulok Kumar Mukherjee," it said.
The event was attended and addressed by several eminent speakers including vice-chancellors of central universities, directors, scientists, professors, social workers and others representing the whole country.
Prof Pulok Kumar initiated the event with a welcome note stating that Himalaya serves several purposes, and so conservation of Himalaya is a common responsibility of all.
Celebration of Himalayan Day by IBSD is an effort to bring every stakeholders, community organisations, academicians, etc, together to contemplate collectively on the current and the future state of Himalaya, he said.
Union minister for External Affairs and Education Dr RK Ranjan Singh also attended the event and appreciated the various activities carried out by IBSD using the bio-resources available in Eastern Himalaya region for societal benefit through biotechnological interventions.
Department of Biotechnology, ministry of Science and Technology secretary Dr Renu Swamp also highlighted various programmes taken up by the department and gave best wishes for various research and outreach activities taken up by IBSD.
She also congratulated IBSD for taking up the initiative for Himalayan Bio-resources.
Development programmes while director and founder of Himalayan Environmental Studies & Conservation Organisation (HESCO), Dehradun Dr Anil Prakash Joshi presented a brief account on the importance of Himalaya and its role in the ecological balancing of both the Western Himalaya and Eastern Himalayas (NE India).
Noted personalities including APAARI New Delhi former coordinator Dr JL Karihaloo, VC of Mizoram University Prof KRS Sambasiva Rao; NIPER Guwahati director Dr USN Murty, Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar director Dr Ajay Parida, CSIR-NEIST Jorhat director Dr G Narahari Sastry and CSIR-IIM Jammu director Dr D Srinivasa Reddy shared with views on utilization of bio-resources available in the Himalayan region including microorganisms, animal resources and medicinal plants used by the traditional nealers for improving agriculture, livelihood drug development.
Imphal-based IBSD is an autonomous research institute under Department of Biotechnology, government of India, which facilitates research works on diverse sectors in the NE region and recommends its findings to the governments concerned to do the needful.
The region falls in the fro-geographic tri-junction and is a centre of huge diversity for many plants, animals and microorganisms.
It has been working on research and development activities in areas of medicinal and horticultural plants, microorganisms and animal resources for various applications in traditional medicine and phyto-pharmaceutical drug development, nutraceuticals and industrial applications for socio economic development in the region, the release added.
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