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Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav attended the 109th foundation day celebration of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Kolkata on Sunday. He was the chief guest of the event.
Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State, MoEFCC, was the guest of honour. The Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, MoEFCC, Jitendra Kumar, also attended and addressed the gathering. At a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday at the Kolkata Press Club, ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee highlighted the 'Animal Taxonomic Summit-2024' scheduled for July 1-3, 2024, and the launch of the 'Fauna of India Checklist Portal' along with two books on annual animal and plant discoveries. Banerjee informed that the Animal Taxonomic Summit-2024 aims to underline the role of taxonomy in biodiversity conservation. Over 300 research papers will be presented, and 40 institutional heads from India and global experts will participate. She also announced that the 'Fauna of India Checklist Portal' will be the world's first complete fauna checklist, making India the first nation to prepare a comprehensive list of documented fauna. 'Animal Discoveries-2023' comprises more than 600 new animal species and new records from India, while 'Plant Discoveries' includes more than 300 new plant species and new records from the country, all published by scientists, faculty, and researchers from India. Other important releases will include the 'Current Status of Faunal Diversity in Lakshadweep,' 'Fauna of India-109 Barcodes,' 'Catalogue of Hoverflies,' 'Catalogue of Muscidae,' 'Avifaunal Diversity of Important Bird Areas of Goa,' and the 'Handbook on Moths and Butterflies of the Western Ghats' & 'Flora of India Series.' The first-ever 'Barcode Atlas of Indian Fishes,' a joint publication by the ICAR-NBFGR, Lucknow, & ZSI, Kolkata, and 'ROAR - CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF PROJECT TIGER,' a book by Shiladitya Chaudhury and Ketan Sengupta, will also be released. The Minister of State will launch the 'International Society of Zoology (ISZ),' which aims to enhance the ability of individuals and institutions to contribute to the global understanding and protection of biodiversity. The event will include messages emphasizing the exploration and protection of faunal resources, the importance of safeguarding our environment, and ZSI's contributions. More than 10 MoUs will be exchanged between ZSI and universities (such as Vidyasagar University, Berhampur University, Madurai Kamraj University), national institutes (ICAR-NBFGR, ICAR-NBAIR, ICAR-Central Institute, ICAR-CIFA, BITS-Pilani, Goa), and the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), Africa, for better coordination and benefits to the masses. A cultural program highlighting environmental issues and ZSI's efforts to reach out to citizens will also be showcased. The Animal Taxonomic Summit-2024 is the second summit being organized by ZSI. During the summit, deliberations will be held under three broad themes: Taxonomy, Systematics and Evolution; Ecology and Animal Behaviour; and Biodiversity and Conservation. More than 350 delegates from four countries, including the Natural History Museum London, will participate in ATS-24. The three-day summit will feature more than 20 plenary/lead lectures by eminent speakers and experts from India and abroad, as well as 142 oral/poster presentations. The summit will conclude on July 3, 2024. The recommendations of the summit will be conveyed to the Government of India related to biodiversity conservation. The ZSI was established on July 1, 1916, in Kolkata as a premier research institution and currently functions under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The ZSI documents India's faunal resources through surveys and exploration, advancing knowledge of the country's exceptionally rich faunal diversity. (ANI)
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