Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lieutenant General K.T. Parnaik (Retd) on Sunday called for strengthening conservation efforts alongside development activities, highlighting the state’s rich floral diversity, including more than 5,000 flowering plant species and around 600 orchid species.
The Governor said that Arunachal Pradesh is also home to more than 75 species of rhododendrons and hundreds of medicinal plants, stressing that concerted efforts must be made to conserve these invaluable natural resources while pursuing development in the state.
The Director of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) Kanad Das, called on Governor Parnaik at Lok Bhavan in Itanagar on Sunday.
During a discussion with the BSI Director, the Governor advocated a dedicated Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET) Species Recovery Programme involving GIS mapping, population monitoring, seed banking, and habitat restoration in collaboration with the Forest Department and local communities.
They discussed the rich biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh, particularly its remarkable plant diversity, ongoing conservation initiatives, and future strategies for strengthening botanical conservation in the state.
Governor Parnaik expressed his appreciation for the regular discovery of new flora and fauna in Arunachal Pradesh, underscoring its status as one of world’s richest biodiversity hotspots.
He emphasised the need to safeguard the state’s extraordinary botanical wealth through scientific research, sustainable livelihoods, community participation, and long-term ecological security.
The Governor stressed the need for comprehensive botanical surveys across remote and lesser-explored regions of the state, particularly in areas that remained inaccessible in the past due to inadequate road connectivity.
He suggested deploying more scientific personnel to undertake systematic documentation and research.
Referring to Arunachal Pradesh as India’s ‘Orchid Paradise’, which hosts nearly 40 per cent of the country’s orchid diversity, the Governor recommended establishing a dedicated botanical garden, community orchid conservation areas, and expanding ex-situ conservation through tissue culture and orchid rescue programmes.
He also advised BSI to create a Digital Flora and Climate-Change Monitoring Network, including a real-time flora database and ecological monitoring system, while enhancing public outreach and community engagement in conservation efforts.
Krishna Chowlu, Scientist In-Charge at the Botanical Survey of India’s Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was also present in the meeting.
(IANS)
