Protecting honey bees necessary to protect environment: NGOs

NAGPUR: Several NGOs from the city are working towards the protection of honey bees of the region by making their produce a viable commodity in the international market. They believe that this move will not only improve the lives of the tribal population in the villages of Central India, but also prove to be an ecological boon.

Wild species of honey bee are found in abundance in the forests in and around Vidarbha. The NGOs have started devising and popularizing methods of harvesting honey produced by these bees in a way that does not harm the bees.

"Honey bees are known to be an important indicator to gauge the environmental condition of an area as they have been known to have direct impact on ecology. While protecting the environment, we feel that protection of these bees also is important," said Sudhir Paliwal, convener of the NGO Vidarbha Environmental Action Group.

Edward Malloy, mayor of the city of Fairfield in Iowa, US, also runs a company that utilizes this honey for finished products like candies. Malloy was in the city to see for himself how the honey is collected. "We are here to take a few lessons in sustainability. Since this step also helps us support the income of around 300 families in an economically weak region, it gives us pleasure to be doing this work," he said.