International Flower Show 2013

Saramsa Garden

February 17, 2013

Speech of Hon’ble Chief Minister

Your Excellency Governor of Sikkim, respected Shri BP Singh ji, Hon’ble Dy Speaker, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Members of Parliament, senior officials from the Central and the State Governments, distinguished scientists, floriculturists, friends from media, ladies and gentlemen

Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde ji was scheduled to be here with us today. However, due to extreme inclement weather, Shri Shinde ji could not reach here despite his reaching the Bagdogra Airport early this morning. Hon’ble Union Minister spoke to me from the Airport to say how he wished he could be among us amidst the Himalayan splendor. On the eve of Parliament session, he could find time to plan his visit to Sikkim but held up at Bagdogra Airport due to weather condition. On behalf of the people of Sikkim and the State Government, I would like to express our warm gratitude to the Union Home Minister for his support.

When we organized the first International Flower Show in March 2008 at this venue, we showcased our natural resources. It is well known that Sikkim is a Biodiversity hot spot. Nature has blessed us with rich biodiversity, exquisite species of flora and fauna.  A quick look at our nature statistics will invigorates us.  It is a matter of utmost pride that within the boundary of the State, we have a total of 150 species of mammals, 552 species of birds, 690 species of butterflies, 424 types of medicinal plants, over 500 types of orchids, 28 mountain peaks, 104 rivers and streams. Further, our State is perhaps the only geographical location where we find all the climatic zones namely tropical, sub-tropical, temperate, sub-alpine and alpine, placed within the range of 300 meters to 8,598 meters.

Sikkim which accounts for just 0.05 percent of total geographical area of the Country is home to 30 percent species of flowering plants found in India. Also, it has 60 flowering species per 100 square kilometers and hosts 123 endemic species.  As the custodian of Sikkim Himalayan          eco-system, we have tried our best to play a very responsible role to maintain the environmental sanctity of this eco-system which inter alia contributes to the national and world scenario.

We initiated our journey on a very conscious note in 1995 when we observed the year as “Harit Kranti Varsha” and later declared the year 2000-2010 as the Harit Kranti Dashak duly generating and involving mass awareness about environment and about factors likely to bring about negative impacts on our environment. With your permission, I would like to highlight some of the steps undertaken by the State Government over the decades.

1.    Compulsory Environmental Education introduced in all schools starting from the primary education level with a view to inculcate scientific and eco-friendly temper in the young minds;

 

2.    Closed the high altitude Firing Range “G” to protect sub-alpine flora and fauna;

3.    "Smriti Van" a green concept initiated in the State to plant trees in fond memory of near and dear ones, in reverence to gods/deities;

4.    Institution of State-level award "Rajya Van Samrakshan Evam Paryavaran Puraskar" to encourage and boost the morale of individual/group engaged in eco-friendly acts;

5.                            Creation of a State Biodiversity Park for mass environmental conservation;

6.                            Complete ban on use of non-biodegradable materials like plastic and poly-bags;

7.                            Ban on Green felling in forests;

8.                            Ban on grazing in reserved forest areas, plantation areas and water sources areas;

9.                            Ban on use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides & insecticides;

10.                       Ban on killing of wildlife and aquatic animals;

11.                       Ban on smoking in public places and sale of Pan Parag;

12.                       Jari Buti Kosh – a fund created to regulate preservation measures of important medicinal plants and shrubs in the State;

13.                      Comprehensive mission undertaken to transform Sikkim into Total Organic State  which is being pursued vigorously;

14.                       Free distribution of LPG connections to rural households for protection of green cover in the State;

15.                       Sikkim Green Mission announced duly allocating budget from each Department;

16.                       An innovative mechanism Eco-Club, Green Funds instituted in schools and colleges;

17.                       Creation of Sikkim Ecology Fund in the State;

18.                       Prohibition enforced on mountaineering expeditions on sacred peaks, caves, rocks, lakes, chhorten & hot springs. Scaling of important peaks including Mt. Khangchendzonga (8598m) banned;

19.                       Ban on the use of Diclofenac, the chemical responsible for death and slow extinction of Vultures from our landscape. By effectively banning this anti-inflammatory drug, we are contributing towards arresting death cases of the bird family.

One of the most recent and most imaginative green programs has been the “10 Minutes to Earth” campaign to mobilize the entire population of the State to plant saplings within a matter of ten minutes. The Sikkimese people observe this as annual ritual on June 25 each year, planting lakhs of saplings in all barren lands, institutional areas, landslide zones, forest area etc. This is a very positive step and unique one in the entire country.

Sikkim State was rated as the Greenest State through popular vote instituted by the prestigious Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi in 1999. All our development programs centre around the eco-city concept to promote clean and green environment. The findings of Centre for Development Finance, Chennai has also been very encouraging. Under various parameters like reducing pressure on environment and state’s responses to maintain their environment, Sikkim has been rated as “most sustainable”. We have adopted a very scientific approach towards solid waste management, regulate water usages and discourage encroachment. We were honoured with the first Nirmal Rajya award in December 2008 for achieving total sanitation coverage in Sikkim. In order to conserve water sources, we have undertaken innovative programs like dhara-vikas. We have commissioned regular study on glaciers in Sikkim Himalayas.

Since ages, people in Sikkim have been traditionally growing flowers. Although, cultivation of flowers has remained part of living experience for our people, never was this art developed into a full-fledged profession. Therefore, we decided to tap on this rich tradition to promote floriculture on commercial scale. Today we are producing cut flowers including that of roses, lilium and anthurium on a commercial scale. We are, indeed, the only state in the whole country producing high value cymbidium orchids on a commercial scale.

The contribution of Indian Floriculture products in the world market is still very small. This could be improved through concerted effort at various levels. This International Flower Show is an attempt to showcase our inherent strengths to attract outside investors mainly for floriculture and tourism. This event will provide a common platform to all floriculture stakeholders for experience sharing. The activities comprising of exhibition, competition, buyer-seller meet, international conference and cultural presentations will form the highlights of the Show. The event open to visitors for the next ten days will have assembly of eminent floriculturists, academicians, scientists, researchers, major floriculture players, naturalists, nature photographers and common visitors. I would like to welcome all of them to this Nature’s Own Garden and also convey my best wishes to all the competitors and to all participants of the international conference. This conference is not only going to be an experience sharing platform, but will provide the best of knowledge and technology to our farmers and officials.

We are following the policy of undertaking development schemes based on our rich natural resources. We are promoting only environment-friendly sustainable development schemes keeping in view environmental security as well as fragile ecology. Promotion of floriculture, horticulture, hydro-power generation, promotion of eco-tourism, setting up of clean industries like pharmaceutical units have been identified as core sectors to strengthen our revenue base on a long term basis. Therefore, this festival of flowers besides giving joy to the human hearts will remain a good economics for the Sikkimese people.  

And towards that objective, this event will be recorded in the history as a milestone event in the floriculture pursuits of the country. I appeal to all friends from the media to provide maximum coverage and best possible exposure of this event. I would like to extend my warm welcome and our sincere gratitude to Your Excellency for encouraging us with your kind presence.

To all the delegates from outside the State and the Country, to the various experts representing premiere Institutions within and outside the Country, to the large number of flower growers and agriculture scientists- I extend my hearty welcome to you to Sikkim and wish you enjoyable stay in Sikkim to carry back sweet memories to your respective places.

Thank you

Jai Hind