Preservation of national heritage

India's Natural Heritage
Heritage is anything that is inherited. It is everywhere around us. It is naturally created or developed in the course of history. Heritage is something which is specific and typical of a place, area, region or country on one hand and of a family, community or people on the other. Heritage is broadly classified into Natural and Cultural.India is rich in both natural as well as cultural heritage.
India is a very vast country. Hence, it is natural that it has diversities in respect to extent, relief features, climate, vegetation and cultural environment. Amid these diversities, there is a unique unity that makes India a well-knit geographical unit. Thus, here is unity in diversity. India extends from the Himalayas to the Kanyakumari. Various parts of the country are inter-dependent and so are their natural diversities. Such rich natural diversity in flora and fauna is the uniqueness of our nation alone. Yet, the people of India don't realize the worth of the various species of natural wealth which we need to preserve and protect. Extinction of a wide variety of flora and fauna has become the concern of many environmentalists. It is time we realize that only by preserving and patronizing our natural diversity, our continuity becomes possible.

Tourism and Heritage
India is very popular among the foreign nations for its<> fairs, festivals, places of pilgrimage, historical places and the picturesque tourist spots. No doubt our big tourist industry is thriving on our heritage but it is also important to remember that it is our heritage that attracts tourists all over the world to India and makes our nation one of the top-rated tourist destinations of the world. The economic benefits that we enjoy due to our heritage will soon come to a standstill if we do not pay heed to the nature's cry.

Protection and Preservation
Today, man's attitude towards the animals that survive around him has changed drastically. The cruelty and ignorance that man shows towards those poor creatures has resulted in an unbalanced food-cycle. Man's encroachment on the forests make the wild animals lose their habitats. Hunting and poaching, though prohibited by Law, still remains. India's national animal, the tiger, is vanishing from the forests of the nation along with several other bio-species. We should realize that protection of wild animals, and not their destruction, is man's responsibility.

Protection and preservation is possible only if we are aware about the threats that our bio-diversity is facing. Preservation involves nurturing and nourishing our natural heritage, so as to ensure its enhancement and continuance. In this effort, apart from the government, an individual, along with his/her family and the whole society has a major role to play. Several species of animals and birds have been declared endangered in the country as their numbers has been constantly dwindling. The endangered species include tigers, lions, rhinoceros, Indian bustard, black buck, Chinkara (Indian Gazelle).

Measures from the Government
In order to protect and conserve wild animals, several measures have been takes as under:
1. The Indian Board of Wildlife was constituted in 1952.It advises the government on means of conservation and protection of wildlife, construction of national parks, sanctuaries and ecological gardens, besides creating awareness about conservation of wild life.
2. Numerous campaigns like "Project Tiger","Project Rhinoceros" have been launched. Many tiger reserves have been set up in different parts of the country.
3. Hunting of wild animals and birds has been banned.
4. Poachers and hunters are penalized. The number of forest guards is being increased.
5. Zoological parks are being set up.
6. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, gave a firm status to the national parks, sanctuaries and reserves. Under its provisions, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have been established and they preserve habitats for endangered species, thereby ensuring their protection and survival.
7. Certain bird and animal species have been included in the endangered list in order to stop their destruction and killing.

The notion that preservation of wildlife and prevention of their extinction is the sole responsibility of government , should be changed. This responsibility should be identified as a duty and should be shared between all of us. Let us not forget that the existence of man on this planet is linked with the existence of his fellow-beings too. Let us accept gladly the duty of preserving what the god gave us and pass them on to the generations yet to come.

Preservation of national heritage

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