Karnal, November 10 (Praveen Walia):- The Haryana State Biodiversity Board, Panchkula, has launched a special campaign to protect the state's natural heritage. Under this initiative, People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) are being prepared and verified for every village in collaboration with farmers, villagers, panchayats, Biodiversity Management Committees, and the Forest, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Horticulture and AYUSH departments.
In this regard, an important meeting of district officials was held today in the conference hall of the District Secretariat under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Dr. Anand Kumar Sharma. During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner directed the concerned officials to accord top priority to the preparation and verification of People's Biodiversity Registers and complete the work at a faster pace. He also instructed that Biodiversity Management Committees must be constituted at every village, block and district level.
**Conservation of Natural Heritage is the Primary Objective**
Deputy Commissioner Dr. Anand Kumar Sharma said that the People's Biodiversity Register would prove to be an important document for preserving the natural resources and traditional knowledge available in villages. To successfully complete this task, the Forest, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Horticulture and AYUSH departments must work in close coordination with villagers, farmers and local panchayats.
**Biodiversity Management Committees to be Constituted**
The Deputy Commissioner instructed officials to complete the constitution of Biodiversity Management Committees at the earliest so that the process of biodiversity conservation, its sustainable utilisation and documentation of traditional knowledge could be accelerated at the local level. He said that the register would contain accurate information about trees, plants, medicinal herbs, animals, birds, local crops and biological resources found in villages, helping protect natural heritage from damage in the future. The Deputy Commissioner directed all concerned department heads to visit the ground level, review the progress of the work and submit progress reports on time. District-level officers from various departments were present on the occasion.
