Itanagar: In a major move, the Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Board has joined hands with WWF India and inked an agreement to develop the State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
The decision to develop the State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) was taken during a meeting presided over by the state Environment and Forests Minister Mama Natung in New Delhi.
Accordingly, an agreement between the two organizations was signed for the same, official sources said on Saturday. The SBSAP will align with the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and Pakke Declaration. The SBSAP will be developed through multi-stakeholder consultations and a participatory approach, sources said.
Reacting to the ‘development’, Natung said: “It is a big step ahead for Arunachal Pradesh to showcase its participatory conservation initiatives and develop an inclusive action plan to secure nature’s contribution to people. The plan will reflect the State and people’s aspirations for sustainable development.”
Arunachal Pradesh, the land touched by the first rays of the sun in Indian soil, is known for housing a myriad of plants and trees within the territory. The rich faunal biodiversity of Arunachal comprises of 216 species of Mammals, 119 species of Reptiles, 53 species of Amphibian, 218 species of Pisces, and 770 species of Birds along with many other unreported species.
The meeting was attended by PCCF and Principal Secretary R K Singh, WWF India CEO Ravi Singh, State Biodiversity Board Chairman Tayek Goi, Member Secretary Koj Rinya and senior executives of WWF India.
