Addressing a function to mark World Environment Day here, Kalam said bio-diversity of the nation can be a core competency which can be the basis of achieving a triangular growth mission of ecological conservation, societal empowerment and economic development. Kalam said the campuses of ISRO, DRDO, CSIR and Atomic Energy Commission, which are spread throughout the nation, can be considered as bio parks.
"They are spread across the nation, in islands, in forests, in the hills, in deserts and also urban and rural areas of the nation," he said. Kalam also suggested that Ministers who love environment and forests can lead an interaction with heads of these organisations in this regard. He suggested the Environment Ministry embark on a mission to collate and research the various forms of such traditional food varieties and promote rural enterprises, which would be vertically integrated and can export processed and value added traditional food as an exotic food product.
The ministry can also consider establishing biodiversity research and marketing centres, with global standards all across the nation. These can capitalised on the diverse floral wealth in the ten biodiversity zones of the nation and managed in a very entrepreneurial way, he said. He said the government can also organise a programme with all state government to decide how many million trees can be planted so that the mission of "billion trees for billion people" will become a reality for the nation.
On the occasion, Minister of State for IT and Communication Sachin Pilot released a commemorative stamp promoting national heritage and events. Kalam also released three publications by the Ministry of Environment and gave away environment awards. The Indira Gandhi Paravaran Puraskar was awarded to Sadhguru J Vasudev of Isha Foundation, Coimbatore for his outstanding contribution to environmental conservation and awareness.