Union minister of state for commerce Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday allayed fears on any adverse effect of plantation crops on the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats.

“Cultivation of plantation crops in the Western Ghats will not affect its rich bio-diversity or disturb the ecological balance between flora and fauna in the region as feared,” Scindia said at a planters’ conference here. The rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats is safe and free from adverse effect from plantation crops grown on slopes, he told the 119th annual conference of United Planters’ Association of South India (Upasi), here.