NEW DELHI, 31st December, 2024 (WAM) -- Himalayan pashmina shawls, which are collectors’ items all over the world, will henceforth be certified for purity and quality at an advanced facility at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand state.
India’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, said “the advanced facility empowers scientists with the latest tools to decode the genetic mysteries of our biodiversity and create science-based solutions to protect it.”
He said such advanced capabilities are needed to “ensure the survival of the world’s precious wildlife for generations to come.” He emphasised the importance of preserving India’s mega-diversity in locations like the Himalayas.
Along with the advanced facility for pashmina certification, the Minister commissioned a Next-Generation DNA Sequencing Facility at the WII.
“Next-Generation Sequencing is a revolutionary technology that enables the rapid and high-throughput decoding of entire genomes, analyzing millions of DNA sequences simultaneously,” the Institute explained in a press release.
In wildlife conservation, such Sequencing plays a pivotal role in identifying genetic health in diversity, genetic barriers and their effect on populations.
It also helps to understand disease outbreaks, detection of illegal wildlife trade, and study of the effects of climate change on biodiversity, WII explained.
The pashmina certification facility can ensure the authenticity of the wool used in collectors’ shawls, eliminate the mixing of other fibres and enable the smooth trade in genuine pashmina products in international markets.
“The upgraded facility includes a dedicated Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, which enhances the precision and reliability of wool testing and certification,” the press release said.