Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Memorial Lecture: II

with the Chipko Andolan (Hug-the-Tree Movement), considerable amount of biodiversity
has returned. This movement needs to be given a determined fillip. Even
biotechnological approaches can be pressed into ecorestoration. By doing so, the lives
of poor Himalayan dwellers can be enlivened. At present, they see no hope except to
migrate to plains to eke a mere existence and become “ecological refugees” in their own
country. More often, these innocent young men and women get involve in menial and
even dirty work.
The role of plant genetic resources in the development of hill agriculture is
already recognized (Joshi and Rathore, 1986). It needs to be widened to encompass all
the relevant biodiversity for diversification and intensification of biomass production.
Together with some socio-economic measures, it holds the key to the health and wealth
of Himalaya and its people. It is also a critical input to antodaya (welfare of the weakest)
and sarvodaya (welfare to all).
The National Biodiversity Conservation Board
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How does India plan to take care of its biodiversity? Easiest way is to go on with
the business-as-usual approach, i.e. to list and inventorize the species of plants and
animals in various habitats without reference to the biogeographic aspects and
ecological and genetical characteristics. BSI and ZSI have been doing such work for
many years and have developed expertise in this regard. Furthermore, their work is
bring done in two components of an integrated whole (biology). Never any attention has
been paid to climatic and soil characteristics, microorganisms and association with other
species which are all an integral part of biodiversity. Another dimension to biodiversity is
the wild life which has maintained its identify as a part of forestry. Wildlife is concerned
with macro-animals particularly those with high visibility, the big cats (lion, tiger,
leopard), some herbivores (rhino, hangul, musk deer, gaur), birds and reptiles (like
crocodile). There has been in –built resistance in the wild life system to new ideas like
the biosphere reserves and now also to biodiversity. Most wildlifers are still not
convinced about the holistic nature of biosphere reserves in comparison to national
parks and wild life sanctuaries, or of biodivesity in preference to wildlife. Such a
restricted view of this important biological resource does ignore the dynamic, evolving
the holistic nature of biodiversity. Since biodiversity is found mostly in the forest areas,
the overriding control and influence of wildlife section of foresters can not be minimized.
There will have to be a gradual process of debriefing of this group by briefing of this
group by briefing about the holistic dimensions of biodiversity. Biodiversity is also not to
be mistaken with forestry. It has taxonomic, physiologic, ecological, genetic, economic,
ethical and social dimensions. It is critical to our very survival as it affects climate, soil
formation, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, fisheries, industry based
on whole range of biological like microorganisms and medicinal, fiber, and plantation
crops. Together, these constitute a sizeable components of our Gross Domestic
Product and contribute materially to our Gross National Product.
During the last few years, the subject of conservation of biological diversity has
attracted considerable attention at the national and global levels. So far, biological
diversity 9the genetic diversity in particular) has been maintained by two groups of
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