UGC asks various universities to encourage Research and Ecology

Following the approval of National Forest Commission (NFC), the University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified various universities and institutions to encourage Research and Ecology.

The notification says, the UGC deputy secretary Shakeel Ahmad, has made it clear that the move is taken to meet the recommendation of NFC headed by Justice BN Kripal, a former Chief Justice of India.

The NFC has submitted a report to the Prime Minister that contained 360 recommendations including the promotion of research on Ecology.

Justice BN Kripal in his reports said, "The forest departments and the Union government should encourage universities and organisation to take up research proactively, particularly applied research".

NCF has also recommended research on grassland ecology, fire, flood, invasive species, forest regeneration, wild life diseases, inter-relationships and inter-dependence of species, groups and habitat.

It further recommended for a multidisciplinary integrated ecological research that encompass scientific and socio-economic aspects related to protected area management, reintroduction and rehabilitation of species in different eco-regions with funding by the Government and provision of facilities by the forest department.

NCF's reports stated that, a special attention must be paid to research for making use of the ethnic knowledge in wildlife conservation and management, and to the applied research focused on obtaining intellectual property rights capable of benefiting the local communities and the nation.