PRESIDENT Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday emphasised re-evaluating the standards of development and said the destruction of forests is, in a way, destruction of humanity. “Unsustainable exploitation of resources has brought humanity to a point where the standards of development have to be re-evaluated,” Murmu said while addressing trainee officers of the Indian Forest Service (2022 batch) during their convocation ceremony at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy here. She mentioned about the Anthropocene Age, which is the period of human-centric development, and said “We are not owners but trustees of the Earth’s resources” and hence our priorities should be human-centric as well as nature-centric. “Our priorities should be ecocentric along with anthropocentric.

 

In fact, only by being ecocentric, we will be able to be truly anthropocentric,” she said. The President expressed concern over the rapid loss of forest resources in many parts of the world saying, “Destruction of forests is - in a way - destruction of humanity. It is a well known fact that conservation of Earth’s biodiversity and natural beauty is a very important task which we have to do very quickly.” The President said that human life can be saved from crisis through conservation and promotion of forests and wildlife. “We can repair the damage at a faster pace with the help of science and technology. For example, the Miyawaki method is being adopted at many places. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help in identifying suitable areas for afforestation and area-specific tree species,” President Murmu said.

 

She said that there is a need to assess various such options and develop solutions suitable to India’s geographical conditions. Referring to the mass hunting of wild animals during the British period, the President said that when she visits museums where animal skins or severed heads adorn the walls, she feels that those exhibits are telling the story of the decline of human civilisation. She said that IFS officers not only have to conserve and augment India’s natural resources, but also use the traditional knowledge in the interest of humanity.