Having constituted Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) at the local level involving the community for conservation and sustainable utilisation of biological resources inside and outside forest areas, besides documentation of diversity, the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board will soon embark on the task of building capacity of committee members and enlighten them about their role and responsibilities in conservation of such resources.
Consequent to the framing of the Tamil Nadu Biological Diversity Rules in late 2017, the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board has constituted 1,049 BMCs at 385 panchayat unions across the State and designated an officer in the rank of Forest Ranger as secretary in each committee to manage and oversee its functioning as mandated by the Rules at the rural level.
Ahead of organising capacity building programmes for the BMC members, the biodiversity board has set out on the task of training the Forest Rangers on a gamut of aspects including the provisions of the BioDiversity Act, 2002; the 2017 Rules framed by Tamil Nadu; guidelines on access to biological resources, responsibilities of the BMCs, creation of Biodiversity Fund and mode of benefit sharing to the community.
The day-long training programme held here on Tuesday on operationalisation of the BMCs meant for the Forest Rangers of Tiruchi, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai districts designated to act as the committee secretary in the respective areas was a step in this direction.
Preparation of a People's Biodiversity Register (PBR) at the respective panchayat union level involving the community was one of the key aspects that was put across to the BMC secretaries as part of their responsibility, said A. Udhayan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board. The Board in association with GIZ had organised such trainings in five regions so far.
Documentation in the form of PBR would help the BMCs in knowing the actual biological resources at the respective local level; the users of such resources and where it was being sent besides helping in eco-restoration of local biodiversity inside and outside forest areas, said Mr. Udhayan.
The BMCs could also help in identifying potential Biodiversity Heritage Sites at the grass root level including sacred groves and sacred water bodies for their management. Each committee would consist of seven members with its secretary being the Forest Ranger at the rural level so as to have a link with the government and convene periodic meetings.
Mr. Udhayan said the Board in the next phase had planned to organise capacity building training programmes to the BMC members starting April onwards with respect to their role and responsiblity in conservation and utilisation of biological resources.
Mr. Udhayan said a few companies had approached the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board seeking access to biological resources at certain places in the State for which the comments of the respective BMCs would be obtained prior to according sanction.
Addressing the Forest Rangers at the meeting earlier, K.V. Giridhar, managing director, Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited stressed the need for preparation of Bio-Diversity Action Plan at district level.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Tiruchi, T.V. Manjunatha said a majority of bio-diversity was in forest and its fringe areas and there was need to find out the threats for their conservation.
