Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s call – Become a ‘wetland friend’, save biological heritage

High-level workshop organised on wetland and biodiversity conservation in Nava Raipur

Raipur: A high-level workshop was organised on Monday July 14, 2025 at Dandakaranya Aranya Bhawan in Nava Raipur with the aim of conservation of biodiversity and wetlands. On this occasion, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, Leader of Opposition Dr. Charandas Mahant, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Saw and Vijay Sharma along with all the cabinet ministers and MLAs were present.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, while addressing the workshop, said that the vision of developed Chhattisgarh is fulfilled not only by the development of infrastructure, but also by protecting environmental balance and biological diversity. He called upon every public representative and citizen to understand personal responsibility for biodiversity and wetland conservation and convert this campaign into a mass movement by becoming a ‘wetland friend’.

Chairperson of the workshop on wetland and biodiversity conservation in Nava Raipur Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap welcoming CM Sai by presenting a flower bouquet -Photo Credit -CG/PR

While chairing the workshop, Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap said that conservation of biodiversity and wetlands is not only an environmental necessity, but it is also a question of safety of our future generations. He urged all public representatives to ensure participation in the conservation of biodiversity and spread public awareness by becoming “Wetland friends ” .

Chairman of Chhattisgarh Biodiversity Board Rakesh Chaturvedi gave a comprehensive presentation in the program. He gave detailed information on the 1992 Earth Summit, Biodiversity Act 2002, the role of the National Biodiversity Board and the structure and functions of Biodiversity Management Committees. He also informed that Chhattisgarh is the third state in the country where Biodiversity Management Committees are working effectively.

In the context of wetland conservation, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Arun Kumar Pandey said that wetlands play an important role in maintaining ecological balance. Giving information about the functioning of the State Wetland Authority and the process of formation of district level wetland conservation committees, he said that through these committees, monitoring and conservation of wetlands is being strengthened at the local level.

It was informed in the program that the state’s Gidhwa-Parasada Bird Sanctuary is eligible to become a Ramsar site ( sites listed on the record of Wetlands of International Importance), based on international standards. Apart from this, the process of listing Khokhara village of Balodabazar district as Chhattisgarh’s first Ramsar site is in progress.

At the end of the workshop, all public representatives and officials were appealed to play an active role in the conservation of biodiversity and wetlands by joining as “Wetland Friends”. This participation will help in transforming environmental awareness into a mass movement in the state.

On this occasion, Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Richa Sharma, Chhattisgarh Forest Force Chief V. Srinivas Rao, Member Secretary of Biodiversity Board Rajesh Kumar Chandele and many senior officers and experts were present.