PANAJI: The Goa State Bio Diversity Board (GSBB) has constituted eight technical support groups (TSGs), comprising experts from subject areas under the ambit of biodiversity, to provide technical inputs to the biodiversity management committees (BMCs) and will be responsible for documentation and preparation of people’s biodiversity register (PBR).
The main function of BMC is to prepare PBR in consultation with locals and with the support of technical groups. The register will contain comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, including the adjacent forest areas, government lands, lakes, rivers, flora and fauna, their medicinal or any other use.
Speaking to this daily, an official from GSBB said that around 104 local bodies have constituted biodiversity management committees (BMCs) and “now we are in the process of signing a MoU to start the work on the people’s biodiversity register and each of technical support group will be allotted more than one panchayat for taking up preparation of registers to complete the study within a period of six months from the date of agreement.” There will be periodic performance evaluation of the appointed technical groups as decided by GSBB from time to time.
Steps have been taken for preparation of PBRs in few panchayats and among them are Rachol, Curtorim, Chandel, Chandor, Penha de Franca, which have the best performing biodiversity management committees.
However, according to GSBB, many local bodies have ‘failed’ to give attention to the unique biodiversity of the state. “There are over 85 panchayats who have not constituted the BMC despite sending several reminders seeking implementation of provisions of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Biological Diversity Rules, 2004,” said the official.
The TSG comprises 3-5 experts in the field of biodiversity, agriculture, botany, fisheries, forestry, wildlife, entomology, zoology and sociology. The members of the technical support group will have to stay in the village and interact with the people of the area for the entire tenure of the field work for proper documentation of the PBR.
“This work shall be completed within 60 days but the first draft report with initial collected secondary data in organised manner shall be submitted to GSBB within 15 days after signing agreement,” the official said.
It may be recalled that the GSBB has invited expression of interest from scientific institutions, University, registered and reputed non-government organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations and groups having knowledge and experience in the field of bio-resources, biodiversity and related areas for constitution of technical support groups (TSGs).
Goa State Biodiversity Board has also made a provision of Rs 4 lakh for documentation and preparation of database of tradable /economically potential bio-resources along with their economic valuation and associated traditional knowledge in the state (including collection of reliable secondary data).