Gangtok: The Sikkim government is committed
to making sustained efforts for protection and preservation of
the rich bio-diversity in the state, Chief Minister P K
Chamling said on Thursday.
At the same time a balanced approach for sustenance of
environment and bio-diversity and development activities was
needed, he said at an international conference on conservation
of rhododendron flowers.
The Sikkim Democratic Front government, he said, has
already adopted a consistent approach and taken a number of
initiatives for protection and preservation of the
bio-diversity in the mountain state.
"We pride ourselves as nature loving people and our
efforts towards protection and preservation of bio-diversity
have been rewarded as Sikkim has the distinction to be one of
the few states to have succeeded in increasing its forest
cover over the years," the Chief Minister said.
On the rhododendron flower, which has become the state
flower, Chamling said care would be taken to preserve its
various species in addition to the ongoing efforts for its
preservation the upcoming Kanchenjunga bio-sphere reserve.
Sikkim is home to 36 species out of about 80 species of
rhododrendron flowers in the country and has one bio-sphere
reserve and eight sanctuaries exclusively designated for
preservation of the flower. The state has a forest cover of
about 46 per cent of its land area.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 19:11