Patna: A workshop on biodiversity conservation in Bihar’s urban and industrial landscapes was organised on May 19 by Bihar State Biodiversity Board in collaboration with Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna, bringing together policymakers, researchers and urban planners to examine ecological challenges linked to development.
Held at the CIMP campus in Patna, the event focused on preparing biodiversity action plans and governance frameworks for the state’s growing cities and industrial zones.
Focus On Urban Development And Ecology
The inaugural session was attended by Rana Singh, Bharat Jyoti, Amit Kumar and Surendra Kumar.
Amit Kumar said urban growth in Bihar must be aligned with ecological sustainability, and called for stronger partnerships between institutions and stakeholders to frame effective biodiversity policies.
Surendra Kumar said urban plantation efforts should prioritise ecologically significant tree species, adding that each species contributes differently to local ecosystems.
Strategy For Biodiversity Governance
In the first technical session, Bharat Jyoti presented a roadmap for biodiversity strategy in urban and industrial landscapes. He highlighted the need to protect green and blue spaces, conserve water bodies and promote native species in city planning.
He also said biodiversity considerations should be included in the development of industrial areas, satellite towns and urban redevelopment projects.
A separate presentation by Nitish Nigam and Sibananda Senapati examined governance issues in the Patna Urban Agglomerate.
The speakers identified inter-departmental coordination, biodiversity benchmarking and city-specific action plans as key priorities for building environmentally resilient urban centres.
Regional Consultations
The post-lunch session included parallel discussions on biodiversity governance in major urban regions of Bihar.
Debabrata Samanta led one track on governance systems in Patna, while other knowledge partner teams presented studies on ecological conditions in Bhagalpur, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Buxar and Bihar Sharif.
Participants discussed ecosystem linkages, urban ecological stress and planning approaches aimed at protecting biodiversity during urban expansion.
Recommendations
The workshop ended with recommendations to strengthen biodiversity governance and integrate ecological concerns into future urban planning in Bihar.
The valedictory address was delivered by Surendra Kumar, who called for stronger institutional coordination to ensure biodiversity remains central to infrastructure and development planning.
