<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav said that International Biodiversity Day is about creating environmental consciousness. He was speaking at a function organized to celebrate the International Day of Biological Diversity in Mumbai. The Minister added that we often take the best from the environment but give back waste, as with development our consumption increases. The Minister emphasized the need to pave the way for biodiversity conservation and development.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">While congratulating the Maharashtra Government for its unique gene bank initiative, Mr Yadav said that the Western Ghats in Maharashtra are rich in biodiversity. Therefore, there could not have been a better place to celebrate the International Day of Biodiversity.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Secretary for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Leena Nandan, Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority C. Achalender Reddy, and other senior Central and State government officials were present at the event.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The dignitaries released two publications of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, namely, 'Biodiversity Heritage Sites of India 'and 'Other Effective Area-Based Management' on occasion. Mr Yadav also inaugurated a Biodiversity Exhibition with a special focus on Millet.</span></p>