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
