Chhattisgarh to get its first state butterfly; public voting opens till Aug 31 | Raipur News

Raipur: Chhattisgarh has begun the process of selecting its first state butterfly, with the forest department inviting citizens to vote online from a shortlist of three species as part of a “historic initiative” to promote biodiversity conservation.The online voting, open through a Google form till Aug 31, has been launched by the forest and climate change department. The final proposal will be prepared after considering both public opinion and the recommendations of a specially constituted expert committee.The expert committee shortlisted the three species after assessing their ecological significance, occurrence in Chhattisgarh, conservation value, uniqueness, ease of identification and public appeal.The three shortlisted butterflies are the Common Banded Peacock, Orange Oakleaf and Spot Swordtail.Forest minister Kedar Kashyap appealed to residents to participate in large numbers, saying the exercise would encourage greater public engagement in biodiversity conservation.“Conservation is not the responsibility of the govt alone. Public participation in selecting the state’s butterfly will help create awareness and sensitivity towards nature and wildlife,” he said.Officials said the selected species would serve as the state’s biodiversity ambassador, helping promote conservation awareness and encouraging greater interest in butterflies among students, researchers and nature enthusiasts.The department has urged citizens, educational institutions, environmental groups and wildlife enthusiasts to take part in the voting process, with the final selection to be made after the public consultation closes on Aug 31. Google Form link: https://forms.gle/7Mqa1kBLx4dnFA6b7