THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, MAY 22, 2026

 “Odisha has emerged as one of the leading states in the country in the field of biodiversity conservation,” said Odisha Forest, Environment & Climate Change and Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia while inaugurating the state-level celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

The event, organised at the State Convention Centre of Lok Seva Bhawan, was held under this year’s global theme, “Acting Locally For Global Impact.”

Highlighting Odisha’s achievements in conservation, the Minister spoke about several flagship initiatives including tiger conservation, protection of elephant corridors, crocodile breeding programmes, conservation of Olive Ridley turtles, restoration of mangrove forests, community-based forest protection, forest fire early warning systems and extensive plantation drives. He said these sustained efforts have given Odisha a distinct identity as a “people-centric conservation model” and reflected the State’s commitment towards balancing ecological protection with community participation.

The programme also celebrated individuals and institutions contributing significantly to biodiversity conservation. Winners of debate and painting competitions organised earlier were felicitated, while eight individuals were honoured with the “Guardians of Biodiversity” award and two others received the “Champions of Biodiversity” award for their exemplary work in the field.

On the occasion, four important books and reports were unveiled, including Reviews on Invasive Alien Fauna Species in Odisha Wetland Ecosystem, The Tales of Gandhamardan: A Journey From Myth To Reality, the Annual Activity Report (2025–26) of the Odisha Biodiversity Board and the Board’s newsletter Strings of Biodiversity: People and Conservation.

The subsequent technical session focused on discussions relating to the activities and future action plans of Biodiversity Management Committees from different districts. The ‘PBR Manual’ and a booklet on ‘Local Biodiversity Fund Management Rules’ were also released during the session.

The event was attended by Principal Secretary of the Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, PCCF & HOFF Dr. K. Murugesan, Director of Environment-cum-Special Secretary to Government K. S. Pradeep and Member Secretary of the Odisha Biodiversity Board Dr. Nihar Ranjan Nayak, among others.

Officials of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, members of Biodiversity Management Committees from various districts, scientists, researchers, teachers, students and traditional knowledge practitioners actively participated in the programme, reaffirming the collective commitment towards biodiversity conservation in Odisha.