Need for wise use of bio-diversity for development: Chidambaram

TIRUPATI: Principal Scientifi c Advisor to Government of India, R Chidambaram, has given a clarion call to the scientists to look into new areas of technology which are eco-friendly by wisely using the conservation techniques of bio-diversity for sustainable growth and development of the country. Addressing the three-day International Consultation on ‘Eco-friendly Technology and Sustainable Science, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Sources of Water’ organised by Tirumala- Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)’s Sri Venkateswara Vedic University here yesterday, Dr R Chidambaram, who is also the Chairman of National Knowledge Network, said ‘India’s infrastructure was growing very rapidly ahead of other countries.’ ‘We should come out with more and more proven technologies to march ahead in the world of scientifi c experimentation,’ he said. ‘To attain sustainable growth with bio-diversity conservation, there was an urgent need to bring awareness among the public’, Dr Chidambaram opined. In his presidential address, TTD Executive Offi cer LV Subramanyam said the scientists should think of new avenues of inventions in the conservation of bio-diversity by taking out the essence hidden in Vedas. India was a treasure house of both vedic and scientifi c knowledge and there is a need to balance science and vedas to invent new technology which is useful for the sustenance of human race, he maintained. Vice-Chancellor of University of Colombo (Srilanka) Dr Kshanika Hirumbiregam said, ‘India was far ahead of Sri Lanka in the conservation techniques of bio-diversity.’ In his key note address Dr Balakrishna Pisupati, Chairman of National Bio-Diversity Authority said there was an urgent need to bring immense awareness among the people on the importance of conservation of Bio-Diverse resources if we want to sustainable development which was very much needed for future generations. ‘Unfortunately even there is little awareness on this subject even in well developed countries like the US, Japan, European countries and in the recent survey identifi ed that only 31 per cent of the people across the world are aware of biodiversity conservation, he added.