The Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB) is organising ‘International Day for Biological Diversity-2014’ with the aim of spreading awareness on biodiversity and the importance of preserving it in villages and islands.
The function will be held at the Indira Priyadarshini Auditorium at Public Gardens on Thursday.
Interacting with press persons here on Wednesday, biodiversity board officials said there are 23,000 villages in the State and each village has a local biodiversity committee headed by the local Sarpanch.
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The meet will feature nearly 200 Sarpanchs apart from school students and a special exhibition on biodiversity of the State.
“We have begun an initiative – the People’s Biodiversity Register – which empowers villagers to document their own flora and fauna. New biodiversity laws make it difficult for outsiders to exploit natural resources of a village without the consent of villagers. The meet is aimed at spreading awareness on such issues,” said APSBB Chairman R. Hampaiah.
The board officials gave the example of Amarchinta village of Atmakur mandal in Mahabubnagar district, where Neem leaves are in great demand for medicinal and other industrial purposes.
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“Till last year, villagers here would get only Rs.50 for a kilogram of Neem leaves. However, thanks to biodiversity laws, now they get around Rs.200 for a kg. Biodiversity rules are strict and awareness is the key,” said APSBB Member Secretary S. N. Jadhav.
Bifurcated boardsAs part of the bifurcation process, the Telangana State Biodiversity Board would be formed on June 2, the board officials said.
“For the sake of convenience, both the boards will function from same premises here at Chandravihar complex in Nampally,” Dr. Hampaiah added.