By Environment Correspondent | Tripura 24.in
AGARTALA | May 22, 2026
AGARTALA: Emphasizing the critical need to shield the state’s rich ecosystem from climate change and human encroachment, the Tripura Forest Department celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 today. In alignment with the United Nations directive, this year’s global event was anchored on the central theme: “Acting Locally for Global Impact” (বৈশ্বিক লক্ষ্যের জন্য স্থানীয়ভাবে কাজ করা).
The state-level convention was held in the capital, graced by Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma as the Chief Guest. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) & Principal Secretary of Forests, Rabindra Kumar Samal, IFS, attended as the main speaker, alongside top wildlife wardens, environmental scientists, and Joint Forest Management (JFM) community members.
Connecting Grassroots Conservation to Global Targets
The seminar focused on integrating traditional indigenous knowledge with modern administrative frameworks to meet the 23 environmental targets set under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Speakers noted that global climate stabilization is impossible without localized preservation of micro-ecosystems, water bodies, and reserve patches.
Key Institutional Targets Highlighted for Tripura:
- Expansion of Sacred Groves: Identifying and protecting traditional Sacred Groves managed by indigenous communities across Dhalai and the North Tripura district.
- Curbing Bio-Piracy: Strengthening the vigilance of village-level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) to log local medicinal plant varieties and prevent illegal commercial exploitation.
- Combating Habitat Fragmentation: Developing dedicated green corridors to minimize human-wildlife conflict, particularly focusing on wild elephant migration routes in the Atharamura range.
“Tribal Communities are the Natural Guardians of Our Forests”: Minister Animesh Debbarma
Inaugurating the convention by lighting the ceremonial lamp, Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma stated that standard conservation policies must evolve to treat forest-dependent communities as active shareholders rather than mere observers.
”Our planet is currently losing thousands of species to extinction, and the impacts of climate change are hitting our rural agricultural landscapes directly. The theme ‘Acting Locally for Global Impact’ is deeply relevant to Tripura. Our indigenous Janajati communities have practiced sustainable customary living for generations, preserving our hills without modern scientific jargon.
Our government is committed to empowering these grassroots clusters through expanded community forestry land rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) while providing alternative eco-livelihoods to reduce pressure on primary forest covers,” Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma announced.
Strengthening Field-Level Green Governance
Addressing the administrative execution, PCCF Rabindra Kumar Samal, IFS, highlighted that the department is systematically deploying externally aided conservation models, including the SCATFORM and ELEMENT projects, to digitize forest land tracking and enhance soil moisture retention across open forest ranges.
The event concluded with the distribution of state biodiversity conservation awards to proactive village panchayats and joint forest committees that have successfully eliminated illegal logging and forest fires in their designated local zones.
