Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy released the Greater Hyderabad City Biodiversity Index – 2012, the first in the country, at the Cities of Life City and Sub-national Biodiversity Summit at HICC Convention Centre here on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the City Biodiversity Index scores 36 points out of possible 92. He said the Index would be submitted for validation soon. He also claimed that the State Government was conserving, its genetic resources and wealth in its important establishments like Agriculture Research Institute, Horticulture Development Authority, Forest Research Wing, AP Medicinal Plants Board, Agriculture, Horticulture and Veterinary Universities.
Stating that the government has nurtured a habit of inviting the national and international biodiversity related organisations to set up their institutions in the State. With this approach, he said that the State has become the destination to the biodiversity conservation and research. International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Central Research Institute for Dry Land Agriculture (CRIDA), National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Indian Council for Forest Research and Education (ICFRE) are the major organisations located in the State, he said.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the State was one of the pioneer States to have implemented the Biological Diversity Act of 2002 which led to the establishment of a State Biodiversity Board in 2006. He said the Board was responsible for advising the State Government on matters relating to conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of utilisation of biological resources. He also informed that the State has established over 590 Biodiversity Management Committees across the State. The State Biodiversity Board has also identified Tirumala Hills and four other areas as biodiversity heritage sites.
Addressing the summit, GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain said that the GHMC was making concerted efforts to preserve its biodiversity and eco-systems. “Greater Hyderabad is among just a handful of cities from across the world that can boast of having a National Park in the heart of the city. The Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park is spread across 1.5 sq km and is a protected area in the middle of the city,” he said adding that Endemic flora of the Hyderabad region can be found her along with several species of mammals, over 130 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles and 30 species of butterflies.
The GHMC Mayor said that there were more than 1,000 water bodies across the GHMC limits. He said through the concerted efforts of several urban management authorities, around 90 lakes in the city were being restored and conserved.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister M Maheedhar Reddy, CBD Executive Secretary Dr Braulio De Souza Dias, Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard, Ministery of Environment and Forests Secretary Dr T Chatterjee and GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu also addressed the summit. Mayors from 30 foreign countries and 25 Indian cities, Governors of foreign countries and others experts are participating in the two-day summit. (INN)