The Hindu : New Delhi News : Deal signed for conservation centre

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 20, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Deal signed for conservation centre

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 19. The Forest and Wildlife Department of the Delhi Government has entered into an agreement with the Bombay Natural History Society for setting up a Conservation Education Centre at Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in South Delhi.

The agreement was penned by the Conservator of Forests, A.K. Sinha, and the Director of BNHS, Asad R. Rahmani, in the presence of the Delhi Forest and Wildlife Minister, Raj Kumar Chauhan, who informed that the Delhi Government will provide the land as well as grant-in-aid of Rs 38.42 lakhs through the Forest Department to BNHS - the oldest NGO to run this centre - for the project.

The centre will initially be run by the BNHS for three years. It will impart natural education and provide facilities for research and conservation to the young generation, students, teachers, non-government organisations, policy planners and over 1500 eco-clubs in various school and colleges, thereby sensitising them towards issues linked to conservation of nature, natural resources, bio-diversity, and rare and endangered flora and fauna in the city.

The Minister said the recent developmental activities had badly affected the delicate ecological balance and had put tremendous pressure on our precious natural resources and as a result a large number of plan and animal special had become extinct or endangered. As such, he said, there was an urgent need to strike a balance between nature conservation and developmental needs.

The centre, he said, will comprise a exhibition hall, an auditorium for lectures, film and slide shows and nature huts for informal education as well as discussions. Noting that the centre would start functioning in the first week of July, he said the Delhi Government is committed to making Delhi cleaner and greener and under the Green Delhi Action Plan formulated by the Forest Department 12.54 lakh saplings will be planted in the Capital during the current financial year.

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