St Anthony’s College, in collaboration with the the Bio Resource Development Centre, Planning Department and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), launched a two-day ‘International Conference on BioDiversity and Conservation’ cum workshop on Traditional Health Practices and Medicines today.
Forest and Environment Minister James PK Sangma inaugurated the programme. Addressing the gathering, he highlighted his government moves towards biodiversity conservation through use of technology, such as hyper structural imaging in developing the heat map on the richness of the biodiversity in the state.
He stressed biodiversity as a backbone towards building green funds and carbon credits and thereby participating in the new economic order. He lauded the role of the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency in educating the community towards conservation initiatives, especially in Garo Hills.
Sangma shared testimonies on the benefits of traditional healing and medicines especially in the far-flung regions of the state where often these traditional healers are the primary relief point and he asserted the commitment of his government towards standardising the traditional medicine practices in Meghalaya.
Dhriti Bannerjee, Director of the ZSI Kolkata, delivered the keynote address and highlighted the North East’s culture and conservations as an important aspect of traditional lifestyle. She lauded the youth to rise above the “not in my backyard” syndrome and become neo-conservationists and strive to integrate nature and the economy.
The two-day event also showcases traditional medicines from the different parts of the state and has a free walk-in health camp.