New Delhi (NVI): On the occasion of the World Environment Day today, the government launched ‘Nagar Van’ scheme to develop 200 Urban Forests across the country in the next five years, the Ministry of Environment said.
The scheme has been launched with a renewed focus on people’s participation and collaboration between Forest Department, Municipal bodies, NGOs, Corporates and local citizens, the ministry said in a statement.
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year. This year’s theme is ‘Biodiversity’.
The ministry held virtual celebrations of World Environment Day on this year’s theme with focus on Nagar Van (Urban Forests), in view of the prevalent situation due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Releasing a brochure on the best practices on Urban Forests and announcing the Nagar Van scheme, Union Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar said that these forests will work as lungs of the cities and will primarily be on the forest land in the City or any other vacant land offered by local urban local bodies.
Stressing on this year’s theme i.e. “Time for Nature” with special focus on biodiversity, Javadekar said “thumb rule is that if we protect nature, nature protects us”.
A film was also played during the Environment Day Celebrations here today which narrates how the initiatives of Punaikars along with Forest Department and local body has converted 16.8 ha of a barren hill into green forests. Today, the forest is rich in biodiversity with 23 plant species, 29 bird species, 15 butterfly species, 10 reptiles and 3 mammal species. This Urban Forest project is now helping maintain ecological balance, serving both environmental and social needs. The Warje Urban Forest is now a role model for the rest of the country, the Ministry said in a release.
Stressing on this year’s focus on Biodiversity the Environment Minister said ,“India has 8 percent of world’s biodiversity, despite having many constraint like only 2.5 % of the world’s landmass, has to carry 16% of human as well as cattle population and having only 4% of fresh water sources; the mega biodiversity that we have is the result of Indian ethos which is to be in sync with the nature.”
India is endowed with rich biodiversity having several species of animals and plants and hosts 4 of the 35 global bio-diversity hotspots containing several endemic species, the Ministry said.
However, increasing population, deforestation, urbanisation and industrialisation have put our natural resources under tremendous pressure causing loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity is vital for survival of all life form on this planet and is a key to providing various ecological services. Biodiversity conservation has traditionally been considered confined to remote forest areas but with increasing urbanisation a need has arisen to safeguard and save biodiversity in urban areas also. Urban forest is the best way to bridge this gap.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has therefore, appropriately adopted Nagar van as the theme of WED celebrations 2020 to promote and conserve biodiversity in urban landscapes.
