SHILLONG: The Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), a national institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, Imphal, received the eNorth East Summit Award for Environment and Tourism in NE for the year 2016 at a function held at North Eastern Council, Shillong.
The eNorth East Award 2016 under the theme ‘Digital North East for Digital India’ organized by the North East Development Foundation (NEDF), Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and Government of Meghalaya and supported by the North Eastern Council attracted a large number of people and organizations.
The main objective of the award is to recognize information and communication technology (ICT) based innovators in North East India in different areas for development of the region.
Director IBSD, Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo said that the institute has created a lot of data over a period of time and the benefit should reach the people for their socio-economic development as well as “exploiting the flora and fauna tourism prospects contributing to sustainable development”.
However, he stated that the region is ecologically sensitive and that there is a need to take care of the environment and go for sustainable ecotourism.
It may be mentioned that the IBSD launched India’s first Cherry Blossom Festival initiative in Shillong and attracted a huge Japanese delegation in February 2016 to India and together launched India’s First Indo-Japan Sakura initiative to strengthen the bilateral friendship.
IBSD also won the award for its contribution in ‘Development and Maintenance of ICT-enabled Bio-resources Database of North Eastern Himalayan (Indo-Myanmar) Biodiversity Hotspot’.
