Ranchi: During the undivided Bihar in the late 90s, noted biologist and environmentalist Madhav Gadgil had chaired a three-day national seminar-cum-conference at the Betla National Park, located in present-day Jharkhand. The meet was to finalise the outcomes of the UN-sponsored project titled ‘Biodiversity Conservation Prioritisation Project (BCPP), a nationwide survey to assess local biodiversity. The finalised proposals of that initiative later served as the foundation of the Biodiversity Act, 2002, in the country. Gadgil died in Pune on Jan 7 at the age of 83.Recalling Gadgil’s work, wildlife experts and environmentalists in Jharkhand, including those who worked under his tutelage, said he was a person who believed that saving nature means trusting people.Palamu-based D S Srivastava, a wildlife expert in Jharkhand, who did his PhD under Gadgil, recalled his mentor’s contribution to the country’s biodiversity conservation.“My organisation, Nature Conservation Society (NCS), was the nodal agency for the entire state of Bihar to undertake the first-ever biodiversity register survey. Gadgil saab was leading it nationally. It was a concept alien in India then, but Gadgil championed the cause of biodiversity registers across the country. After the nationwide survey exercises during 1994-95, the three-day national seminar was held at the Betla National Park here, which was chaired by Gadgil. The meet was to fine-tune further proposals of the exercise. In a sense, that proposal laid the foundation for the introduction of the Biodiversity Act 2002 in the country,” Srivastava said.Notably, after the formation of Jharkhand, Gadgil was also to be a part of the state’s planning commission, but due to bureaucratic hurdles, the plan fizzled out. Srivastava, however, said Gadgil had come to the state on a few occasions in his individual capacity to help out in conservation work and understand the local populace here.“He visited many places inside the Palamu Tiger Reserve to study forest dwellers and tribals, mostly Sarna groups. He often believed that modern laws for ecology and its conservation won’t succeed unless one takes local customs and practices into account,” Srivastava added.Firoz Ahmad, the former vice-chancellor of Nilamber Pitamber University, said, “As Gadgil’s commitment to environmental conservation is unparalleled, he deserves better treatment by the country.”
