Call to conserve wildlife, red sanders

Tirupati: The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) P Mallikarjuna Rao stressed the importance of wildlife conservation, protection of red sanders and importance of ecotourism. Delivering keynote address at a two-day national workshop organised by Department of Sericulture of Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) on “Wildlife Conservation and Eco-tourism in India” here on Tuesday, the PCCF observed that forests and wildlife are very important and there are several threats to forest life. Nowadays, conservation of wildlife has become a priority issue universally.

However, forest conservation Acts were very stringent and without the approval of the Union government a single inch of land cannot be misused or diverted for any other purpose, he said. Red sanders are the pride of Tirupati and neighbouring areas which is spread in five lakh hectares. In China, red sanders have a huge demand and one kg costs Rs 10,000 there and that was the reason the smuggling activity has been on the rise.

He gave a call for protection of red sanders from smugglers. There should be more awareness among the people on protecting the valuable red sanders for which a concerted effort is required. “Once we lose the eco-system and red sanders, we cannot not get back.

All of us should wake up and protect valuable forest resources,” the PCCF maintained. In Seshachalam area, forest fires also became a big problem. Summer is more prone for fires and some intentionally put on fires. Though fire may not cause direct loss to economy, it incurs huge loss to environment and bio-diversity, he underlined.

PCCF stressed that Seshachalam forest is one among the 18 biosphere reserves in the country which has to be seen as a home of culture, architectural and heritage history. Also, eco-tourism window provides entry into forests. People should understand the importance of conservation, forest protection and environmental safety which eco-tourism promotes.

SPMVV Vice-Chancellor Prof V Durga Bhavani said that the varsity has got a project with the financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and State government has given them some area to work. With this they can work to barcode all the flora and fauna available at Seshachalam forests and with that Mahila University would emerge as centre of excellence in the area of bio-diversity.

Convenor of the workshop Prof D Bharathi explained the objectives of the two-day event and important focus areas. Dean of Social Sciences Prof K Sandhya Rani presided over the inaugural session in which Additional PCCF BK Singh, faculty of department of Sericulture have participated. On this occasion, SPMVV and SV Zoological park have entered into an agreement to collaborate in the areas of teaching, research and training. Zoo curator Srinivasa Reddy also present.