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‘Himalayan states face tough climate change challenges’

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DST scientist raises alarm on  Aaranyak’s Foundation Day

GUWAHATI: Dr Akhilesh Gupta, the Adviser & Head of Climate Change Programme of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, on Monday stated that rising temperature in Himalayan Region was a big challenge the country was faced with because of the global phenomenon of climate change.

Delivering a lecture on “Climate change and India’s sustainable development pathway” on the occasion of 30th Foundation Day of country’s one of the top-bracket biodiversity conservation and research organisations, Aaranyak, here the senior scientist from the DST said Himalayan states of the country including those from Northeast especially Assam and Mizoram were staring at harsh days ahead.

He said though India was one of the least contributors to global warming that is inducing climate change, it was feared to be one of the worse affected countries.
“In fact, it is a global trend vis-à-vis climate change that least contributors are the worse affected,” he said.

He also pointed out that in the event of rise in the sea level because of global warming, India would face the threat of mass migration from Bangladesh which may pose threat to the country’s internal security.

Dr Gupta lauded the achievements and contribution of Aaranyak towards conservation of biodiversity in Assam and rest of the region and termed that the 30-long years of eventful journey of Aaranyak a classic example of how a small beginning has metamorphosed  into a phenomenon by virtue of unrelenting hard work, commitment and perseverance. 

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India recognissed Aaranyak as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO)  with effect from February 27,  2006.

Noted conservationist, Dr Gautom Narayan who have worked extensively in the Northeast, was conferred the Life Time Contribution Award by Aaranyak on the occasion of its Foundation Day.

Aaranyak came into being as a neighbourhood nature club in 1989 and today it has become a top-bracket conservation and research institution with 14 separate divisions including a state-of the-art Wildlife Genetics Division, Geospatial Technology and Application Division besides divisions working on conservation of different wildlife species including one-horned rhino, elephant, tiger, river dolphin, primates, legal and advocacy division, environment education and capacity building division. The organisation which now has over 110 staff including scientists and researchers, has tried its best to extend support to the efforts by various government agencies to protect and preserve wildlife and forest in the areas under its operation. 

“Aaranyak was a member of the National Board of Wildlife during 2010 to 2018. Aaranyak and its Secretary General have served as a member of the State Board of Wildlife, Assam many times in the last 30 years. It is also a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). It has set up research association with Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati, Dibrugarh University, Assam etc.,” informed Dr Bibhak Kumar Talukdar, CEO of Aaranyak.

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