SHILLONG: Minister in charge of Forests and Environment Department Lahkmen Rymbui has stressed the need for preparing a plan to meet the twin objective of conserving rich biodiversity of the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve (NBR) and of ensuring a dignified life and lifestyle for residents in the area by promoting environmentally sustainable and ecologically prudent livelihood and land use practices in and around the reserve.
Rymbui was speaking on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of inclusion of the reserve in the UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the Man and Biosphere framework.
A two-day workshop cum stakeholders’ consultation was held at Daribokgre and Tura on Monday and Tuesday.
The minister said the workshop resolved to prepare a detailed land use plan for the NBR to maximise flow of ecological services for its holistic and integrated development.
To prepare such plan in an informed manner, it was recommended that the Forests and Environment Department would undertake in-depth analysis of the current land use pattern and changes therein in the recent past by using high resolution satellite imageries.
The workshop also resolved to undertake socio-economic study of the NBR by engaging expert institutes.
It also recommended that to wean away the residents of the reserve from jhum cultivation, the government may formulate a policy on payment of ecological services and implement the same on a pilot basis in selected areas in the reserve.
The policy may provide for payment of a certain sum to residents of the NBR in lieu of their firm commitment to shun jhum cultivation and adopt alternate livelihoods.
Rymbui also emphasised that protection, rejuvenation and regeneration of forests in and around the NBR is essential not only to conserve its rich biodiversity but also to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to the residents of Tura and other towns and villages in the Garo Hills region.
The workshop also recommended that to ensure fair price to the products such as honey, mushroom, cardamom etc originating from the reserve, the entire NBR may be declared as organic zone by banning the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
