The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Multimedia tools for spreading biodiversity awareness mooted

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Sunday, Jun 03, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Multimedia tools for spreading biodiversity awareness mooted

Special Correspondent

Necessary hardware will be distributed to every village panchayat: Minister

CHENNAI: Tools of multimedia, computer and satellite technology should be employed to spread awareness of biodiversity and the rights and duties of farmers, Union Minister for Panchayat Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports Manishankar Aiyar said on Saturday.

At a meeting on capacity building of the Panchayat Raj system in select districts of Tamil Nadu, organised by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation here on Saturday, he said under the national e-governance policy, necessary hardware were to be distributed to every village panchayat. Such a facility could be used to spread awareness of biodiversity. Modern technology would enable the trainers of trainers to reach out to a larger audience quickly.

Mr. Aiyar said village panchayat representatives had been entrusted with the task of safeguarding natural wealth and traditional wisdom of rural areas. The panchayat heads should strive to constitute biodiversity management committees in their regions. While doing so, they must keep only public interest in mind, and should not consider political recommendations.

Dr. Swaminathan said the Biological Diversity Act and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act had enumerated the rights and duties of farmers. The natural affluence of the country should be judiciously exploited to eradicate hunger and poverty.

He concurred with the view that the last-person and last-mile-connectivity could be achieved through new technology. Modern and traditional technology could be combined to root out poverty. Income and employment should flow from natural endowments.

The five-day workshop will train 30 elected members of local government from Namakkal, Cuddalore, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts. In 18 months, the programme will cover 2,000 persons, said S. Bala Ravi of the MSSRF.

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