- Under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 the State Government in consultation with local bodies may notify the areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.
- The Biodiversity Heritage Sites are the well defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems – terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine having rich biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the following components:
- richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories
- high endemism
- presence of rare and threatened species
- keystone species
- species of evolutionary significance
- wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or their varieties
- past preeminence of biological components represented by fossil beds
- having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values; important for the maintenance of cultural diversity (with or without a long history of human association with them)
Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC)
- Under Section 41(1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, every local body in the State shall constitute a Biodiversity Management Committee within its area of jurisdiction.
- Composition: BMC is a 7-member committee which is elected in the general body meeting of that local body.
- It must include least at least 1/3rd women and at least 18% Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
- Roles:
- Prepare a Peoples’ Biodiversity Register (PBR) in consultation with local people.
- A PBR comprehensively documents information on the availability and knowledge of local biological resources.
- Facilitate access and benefit sharing in line with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol.
- BMCs are empowered to levy charges, by way of collection fees from any person, for accessing/ collecting any biological resource for commercial purposes for areas falling within its territorial jurisdiction.
- Prepare a Peoples’ Biodiversity Register (PBR) in consultation with local people.
