The Department of Environment, Govt. of West Bengal and the West Bengal Biodiversity Board is organising a series of interactive sessions involving the stakeholders of Sundarban with the objective of fine tuning a strategy for the conservation of this vital eco system. The meetings, held at Canning Sub Divisional Office on March 3 and Joygopalpur Gramin Bikash Kendra on February 27 ,2020 drew a clutch of important stakeholders of this area including the panchayat bodies at the village level of the blocks Joynagar 1&2, Canning 1&2 , Kultali, Basanti, Gosaba, Hingalganj, Sandeshkhali 1&2, Mathurapur I & II . Important functionaries of the District Administration, SDO, BDOs were also present in the meetings. Chairman, West Bengal Biodiversity Board explained the importance of flora and fauna and the rich heritage of the region. Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS), a key stakeholder in Sundarban conservation action, was an active participant in the deliberations. In her address to the assemblage, Ajanta Dey, Joint Secretary & Programme Director, NEWS, stressed on the need for building sustainable biodiversity related livelihood practices and a robust value chain through community participation, in the context of climate change, conservation and livelihood development. She also rued the continuing practise of unscientific & illegal fishing activities and random shrimp collection that was impacting the ecology and destroying the mangrove cover. The Principal Secretary chaired the interaction part where the representatives from various stakeholder group voiced their concerns and challenges. The Administration and the Panchayat members agreed on a co-ordinated approach for effective monitoring and driving the action plan through MGNREGA and other ways to mainstream biodiversity conservation into planning.