Thaindian News

Jamnagar, March 2 (IANS) Reliance Industries Limited is partnering with the union ministry of environment and forests to set up the National Centre for Marine Biodiversity (NCMB) here, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday.

Announcing this here, Jairam Ramesh said RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani had committed to partner in the first such initiative in the country where the government and an industrial house were partnering to safeguard the biodiversity of coastal areas.

He said the NCMB will be the country’s first centre of excellence for the study of India’s coastal biodiversity.

“With the country’s largest industrial group partnering us, the centre has the potential of becoming a global institute,” he said.

“No research institute can be run by the government on a long term basis. We need to create and retain young talent. Moreover, it is a part of corporate social responsibility. The initial outlay of Rs.20 crore has been earmarked, of which RIL’s share will be Rs.10 crore, but more financial resources will come when needed,” he said.

However, answering a question, Ramesh clarified that the partnership with the government cannot be a license to pollute.

He announced the formation of a monitoring mechanism in his ministry to ensure the well being of the country’s first National Marine Park in the Gulf of Kutch.

“We can only check the upcoming industrial projects against pollution but cannot stop the existing projects,” he added.

Without naming any particular industrial house, Ramesh expressed concern at the threat to the fragile ecology and environment of coastal Gujarat from the country’s biggest port in the private sector and cement plants in the wetlands.

He said ports tended to destroy mangroves along the coast which were vital for marine life and people dependent on the sea for their livelihood.