Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad stressed on the importance of plant research in a national seminar held on the topic Himalayan Plant Diversity: Taxonomy Conservation and Sustainable Utilization’.
The two-day national seminar held in Shillong was inaugurated by the Meghalaya Governor.
The seminar was organized by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Eastern Regional Centre, in collaboration with the East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy (EHSST) and the Northeastern Hill University at the BSI Auditorium in Lower New Colony here on Thursday.
“Our nation is rich in biological resources due to the diversified climatic conditions and geographical conditions ranging from the sea level to the high hills of the Himalayas. The northeastern region, which is abode to almost 50 percent of India’s biodiversity alone, is a recognized ‘biodiversity hotspot’ worldwide,” he said, reported TOI.
“The different kinds of unique and valuable plants found abundantly in the northeastern hills are of immense value in sustaining our existence today and a treasure for future generations,” Prasad underscored. He also expressed hope that the seminar would help create awareness and encourage more scientists and researchers to undertake studies on plant diversity, identifying significant species and working on applications for sustainable use.