New Delhi, Oct 15: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today sought "people-centred" conservation approaches in strategies for wildlife protection and asked the navy to contribute in conserving marine biodiversity. "We should involve communities living in or near the natural habitat and create an economic stake for the them to participate and take responsibility in protecting wildlife," Vajpayee said at the first meeting of the National Board for Wildlife here.
For wildlife conservation strategies to succeed, there was a need to increase participation of each local community in protection of its surroundings (as a distinctive protected area) in association with panchayati raj institutions, he said.
"Wildlife being the fundamental component of our ecosystem, has the same right to share in the various resources on our planet as we humans do," he said adding "it is irrational and preposterous for humans to think that this planet belongs exclusively to us alone."
On the role of security forces in conserving wildlife especially in border and disturbed areas, he said "the Navy too can contribute much to our efforts at conserving our marine biodiversity."
"Protection of marine and coastal ecosystems is fundamental to the sustainable development of coastal communities as they provide a range of food products and immense opportunities for tourism," he said.
NGOs and experts could be roped in launching a platform for business partnership with the industries for marketing the processed and semi-processed natural products and provide livelihood to the rural youth, he said.
Bureau Report