The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Government of India, has launched an investigation into the “unauthorised” sale of Ongole bull and the breeds' semen to Brazil, and the “illegal” export of embryos of the Gir species of cows.
Without the consent of the NBA the sale had been going on for quite sometime.
It came to light when a Brazilian entity bought an Ongole bull for Rs.35 lakh, an exorbitant sum, and the same was reported in the media, C. Achalender Reddy, Secretary NBA, told The Hindu . Further investigations brought to light the export of the embryos too.
He was in Coimbatore on Sunday to participate at the International Day for Biological Diversity 2011 and Centenary Celebration of Fischer Herbarium.
As per the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act foreigners should not access Indian biological resources without obtaining permission from the NBA.
Unfortunately, even many government agencies were not aware of the provisions of the law and facilitated the export of the animals, or semen or embryos.
The onus on obtaining the NBA's permission rested with the importer, who, if found guilty was liable for prosecution under the ‘Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation to the Convention on Biological Diversity.'
The seller could not be punished because it was not illegal to sell pure breeds, he reasoned.
The result of the illegal export of bovine species and its semen had led to a situation where Brazil had more pure Ongole breeds than India.
Mr. Reddy said if the importer obtained NBA's permission, it would ensure that a portion of the money the importer made using the animal or its semen/embryos was ploughed back into the country to benefit the breed conservation programme and also the farmer who sold the animal.
Aside from taking up the investigation, the NBA was in the process of writing letters to the animal husbandry departments in the State to ensure that there was no further violation.
It was also in touch with the department concerned in the Union Government.
