• Board chairman Vijay Kumar says biodiversity is vital for human survival, urges collective local action to preserve ecological balance

• Highlights Andhra Pradesh’s rich ecological assets, announces plans for biodiversity parks near Kadapa, Amaravati and Tirupati

Hans News Service guntur

AndhraPradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB) chairman Nelayapalem Vijay Kumar on Friday stressed that biodiversity is essential for human survival and called for collective efforts to protect nature and ecological balance at the grassroots level.

He was speaking at the International Day for Biological Diversity celebrations organised by APSBB at Acharya Nagarjuna University under the United Nations theme, ‘Act Locally for a Global Impact.’

Vijay Kumar said Indian culture has always shared a deep bond with nature and biodiversity, adding that the well-being of all living beings reflects the true spirit of biodiversity conservation.

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s ecological wealth, he said the state is home to a vast coastline, the Nallamala forests, Ramsar sites such as Kolleru Lake and Pulicat Lake, and indigenous cattle breeds like Ongole and Punganur cows.

He also announced plans to develop biodiversity parks near Kadapa, Amaravati and Tirupati in coordination with the forest department. Urban micro forests are being created on unused municipal lands, while biodiversity index studies for Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati have been completed.

APSBB member secretary P Ramakrishna said more than 13,500 biodiversity management committees and 12,000 people’s biodiversity registers have been established across the state.