India 2018

194 India 2018
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Environment
THE Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is the
nodal agency in the central government for overseeing the implementation of
India's environment and forest policies and programmes relating to conservation
of the country's natural resources including lakes and rivers, its biodiversity,
forests and wildlife, ensuring the welfare of animals and prevention and
abatement of pollution. While implementing these policies and programmes,
the Ministry is guided by the principle of sustainable development. The Ministry
is also the nodal agency for the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED). The Ministry also coordinates with multilateral bodies such as the
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), Global Environment Facility
(GEF) and regional bodies such as Economic and Social Council for Asia and
Pacific (ESCAP) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
on matters pertaining to environment.
Botanical Survey of India
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is the apex research organization under Ministry
of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India for
carrying out taxonomic and floristic studies on wild plant resources of the
country. It was established in 1890 with the basic objective to explore the plant
resources of country and to identify the plants species with economic virtues.
Sir George King, the then Superintendent of the 'Royal Botanic Garden' Calcutta
was appointed as first ex-officio Honorary Director of the BSI. After
independence the department was reorganized in 1954 by Government of India
as a part of scientific development of the country. During the successive plan
periods, the functional base of BSI was further expanded to include various
new areas such as inventorying of endemic, rare and threatened plant species;
evolving conservation strategies; studies on fragile ecosystems and protected
areas, like wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and biosphere reserves,
multiplication and maintenance of endemic and threatened plant species, wild
ornamentals, etc., in Botanic Gardens and Orchidaria; documentation of
traditional knowledge associated with plants and development of National
Database of herbarium specimens/live collection/ botanical paintings/
illustrations, plant distribution and nomenclature, plant uses, etc.
Zoological Survey of India
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), a premier research institution under the
Ministry has completed 100 years of services to the Nation, undertaking survey,