Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) has conducted an orientation workshop on the theme “Combating Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought (DLDD)” under National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) for 171 selected NGOs of Nagaland on February 2 at its conference hall.
The welcome address was delivered by Er. Aghali Swu, AEE, while the keynote address was delivered by Rusovil John, Member Secretary, NPCB.
Short presentations on the sub-themes “Adopting sustainable land management practices” and “Restoration of degraded land” was delivered by Miss. Khriehunuo Rutsa, JRF, and Miss. Lhaihoichong Singson, JRF respectively.
A short documentary film on desertification was shown during the programme. The programme ended with presentation on guidelines for implementation of NEAC 2015 by Akangmeren Imchen, Scientist B.
The National Environment Awareness Campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, in 1986, aimed at to create awareness on environmental issues among a wide group of stakeholders. Several non-governmental organizations, educational and training institutions, professional associations, scientific bodies, community organizations, and also a whole range of other agencies participate in the campaign.
These bodies singularly or in partnership with other organizations have organised programmes for creating environmental awareness followed by field action at the local, regional and national level.
Keeping in view of Rio+20 conference in 2012, world leaders recognized DLDD as a serious global challenge impeding sustainable development globally and agreed towards an aspirational goal for achieving a land-degradation neutral world. India is a signatory to the UN convention, the country has been meeting its obligations through implementation of various programmes and reporting the progress to UNCCD secretariat periodically. The awareness and actions taken up under NEAC would contribute towards building the aspirational goal of making India Land degradation neutral by 2030.
Land is a vital resource for producing food, preserving biodiversity, facilitating the natural management of water systems and acting as a carbon store. Degradation of soils and land due to soil erosion and other degradation processes is a severe problem in many regions in India.
In India dry lands constitute an area of 228.3 million hectares (about 69.6 %). As per the assessment carried out by Space Application Centre (2007) the total area undergoing the process of land degradation in India is estimated at 105.48 million hectares which constituted 32.07 percentage of India’s total land area and the area undergoing desertification is 81.45 million hectare which constituted 24.78% of country’s geographical area.
Land degradation reduces the productivity of land particularly drylands can leave the soil exposed and vulnerable to climatic hazards such as drought. Degradation of land resources is manifested in desertification. Theme of the programme is chosen in context to sensitise masses about this problem and measures to combat it.
The theme “Combating Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought” has been divided into two subthemes i.e Adopting sustainable land management practices and Restoration of degraded land which in a way would initiate a focused action plan in stakeholders to combat Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought.
Documentation of local traditional knowledge/practices related to farming, water conservation, weather forecasting etc. Establishment of green belt of traditional plants, Practicing water harvesting techniques, development of soak pits, conservation of local water bodies etc., Preparation and promotion of bio-pesticides, biofertilzers, vermi-compost etc., Establishments of trenches, bunds, soak pits etc., Inculcating the water budgeting habits through community discussion, workshops etc. A total of 171 NGOs and institution would be taking part in the campaign.