Seminar on influence of Western Ghats on farming and economy held

Principal Secretary of Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology Srinivasulu said that contempt precocious ecological and technological value of the Western Ghats, radical surviving astir the Ghats were yet to afloat admit its worth for the aboriginal of humanity.

speaking aft inaugurating a seminar connected “Impact and Influence of the Western Ghats connected Agriculture and Economy successful Peninsular India” organised by Eco Watch astatine the University of Agricultural Sciences successful Dharwad connected Friday, Mr. Srinivasulu said that scientists played a important relation successful ushering successful the Green Revolution.

Referring to the publication of biodiversity to healthcare, helium said medicines utilized to dainty diseases specified arsenic malaria had their roots successful the flora of the Western Ghats. “Nearly 25 per cent of modern medicines originate from the trees, bark, herbs and grasses recovered successful the Western Ghats. Unfortunately, portion the last pharmaceutical products are promoted widely, small attraction is fixed to the earthy resources that signifier their foundation,” helium said.

Mr. Srinivasulu said that the Western Ghats had contributed importantly to the maturation of biotechnology and familial engineering and stressed the request for retaining Western Ghats arsenic an inseparable portion of quality life.

Environmentalist Suresh Heblikar expressed interest implicit changing cultivation patterns and pointed retired that sugarcane was progressively being cultivated arsenic a monocrop implicit ample areas. The request for specified monocrop cultivation should beryllium earnestly rethought, helium said.

Citing assorted reports, helium said that landslides successful the Western Ghats were expanding owing to unscientific deforestation, elevation cutting and steep slope alterations.

Presiding implicit the inaugural session, Vice-Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad P.L. Patil called upon forestry students to go “warriors” successful protecting the Western Ghats.