Green expert looks at biodiversity industry in Goa to create jobs

PANAJI

: Balkrishna Pisupati, who has helped develop a

biodiversity

action plan for the government of India and is a member of the NITI Aayog task force to develop a national programme on Blue Economy, told Goa’s ministers and legislators on Tuesday that tapping the biodiversty market is the way forward for the state. “The total economic value of Goa’s forest is estimated at Rs 4,430 crore. Today, biodiversity is a multi-billion dollar industry in the world. The top-most companies are making use of bio-mimicking,” he said, adding that it is an industry which will give slow but sure income with promise of steady growth.

The Goa state biodiversity board had organised the event for ministers and MLAs at the state secretariat after the first day of the assembly session.

The expert, who has also worked with the United Nations environment programme on implementation of environmental treaties, said the organic market is developing into a niche one with a growth of 52%, which few other industries can promise. “Globally, 23 million people have found employment in

renewable energy

sector. Look at China, USA. We are also doing our bit but not at the required level,” Pisupati said.

Zoning in on Goa’s ecological problems, Pisupati suggested the state hand tourists a green passport when they land in the state. The green passport should carry dos and donts to sensitise them towards the local biodiversity. This is a low cost start to protecting Goa’s

ecology

. Providing these green passports won’t cost you much. A lot of this cannot change unless people’s attitudes and behaviours don’t change towards the natural resources, despite the best possible political will, best possible science,” he said.