PANAJI: After much delay the law department has finally vetted and approved the Goa State Biodiversity Rules, 2017. The rules have now been forwarded to the Chief Secretary for notification.
It took almost 3 years for the law department to vet and approve the rules.
The rules have been framed under sub-section (I) of Section 63 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The rules are aimed at ensuring effective management of biological resources, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of benefits, and devising methods to maintain confidentiality of information recorded in the people’s biodiversity register (PBR).
The rules have outlined powers, duties and responsibilities of the board, tenure of office and conditions of service of official and non-official members of the board, management and custody of local biodiversity fund, maintaining and auditing the accounts of the State Biodiversity Board, restriction on activities related to access to biological resources and to publish its annual report.
Under these rules, the board will be responsible to collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data, manuals, codes and guides relating to conservation of biological diversity.
It has been asked to take a step forward to build a database and to create information and documentation for biological resources.
The rules have also empowered the board to restrict or prohibit any activity related to access to biological resources in consultation with local bodies, if such activity is detrimental or contrary to the objectives of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity or equitable sharing of benefits arising out of such activity.
Among the other functions, the board will also have to commission studies and sponsor investigations and research.
The rules provide for the appointment of a consultant for a period not exceeding 3 years, for providing technical assistance to the board for the effective discharge of its functions.
The board will also have to devise methods to ensure protection of rights including intellectual property rights over biological resources and associated knowledge.
The board will have to ensure that biodiversity-dependent livelihoods are integrated into all sectors of planning and management, and at all levels of planning from local to state, to enable such sectors and administrative levels to contribute effectively for conservation and sustainable use of biological resources.
The rules have made provision for setting up State Biodiversity Fund, which will be operated by the Member Secretary of the board.
Any person or corporate body seeking access to biological resources for commercial purposes will have to give prior intimation to State Biodiversity Board and pay a fee of Rs 1000 in favour of State Biodiversity Fund and further enter into an agreement with conditions for accessing the resources.
After a prolonged exercise, involving various stakeholders, the environment department in 2014 had submitted the draft state biodiversity rules to the Goa State Biodiversity Board for approval, and was then forwarded to law department for the purpose of vetting.
But due to the lack of interest shown by the past board members, there was no follow up made to get the rules finalised.
The Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) is an autonomous body that regulates and advises the government on matters of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair equitable sharing of benefits derived from its use.
As per the provision made under section 22 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 for the establishment of state biodiversity boards, the state government constituted the Goa State Biodiversity Board in the year 2004 and its chairperson is appointed for a term of 3 years.