Hyderabad gearing up for global bio-diversity meet

Hyderabad is gearing up to host a global bio-diversity meet next month. The meet will see participation of about 10,000 delegates from 193 countries, including heads of states and governments are set to participate, officials said on Wednesday.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy personally reviewed the arrangements for the mega event, to be held from October 1 to October 19.

The event comprises of two events - the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety October 1-5 and the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity on October 8-19.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by six ministers and other top officials, visited Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), the venue of the conference to see the preparations.
He also visited Shilparamam, the crafts village, state art gallery in Madhapur and other places where side events are being organised. The chief minister inspected beautification works being taken up in different parts of the city.
Greater Hyderabad mayor Majid Hussain, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner Krishna Babu and other senior officials accompanied the chief minister.
During the conference, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay foundation stone for national museum on bio-diversity.
A bio-diversity park is also coming up on 15-acre land on Gacchibowli-Mehdipatnam Road. The officials said 500 rare and endangered species would be planted in the park. A similar park is also coming up in Dulapally reserve forest on the city outskirts.
A sculpture park is being developed at Shilparamam. The chief minister also visited JNTU College of Fine Arts, where sculptures are being prepared with scraps.
He also went around Rayadurg Junction, where biodiversity pylon is being constructed.
Officials of GHMC and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) are working overtime for beautification of the city. The municipal authorities are undertaking repair and recarpeting of major roads in the city.
The pillars of various flyovers in the city are also being decorated with art work and new saplings are being planted below the flyovers. Hundreds of workers are also working for beautification and re-designing of the traffic islands in the core area of the city and also in Cyberabad, the IT district where the conference venue is located
Major tourist attractions like Charminar, Mecca Masjid, Golconda Fort, Lumbini Park are being spruced up for the conference
The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and directed the officials to complete all the works on war-footing.
The Planning Commission has already agreed to release a sum of Rs. 300 crore to the state government to meet the operational expenses for hosting the event.

IANS