The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has roped in former chairman of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and UN expert Balakrishna Pisupati for advice on implementing an Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism aimed at regulating the commercial exploitation of biological resources in the State.
The decision to seek expert advice comes at a time when the KSBB was preparing to impose a levy on 2,694 industrial units in the State, including Ayurvedic drug companies, tea and coffee manufacturers, agro-based units, food-processing centres, leather, cashew, textiles, paper, rubber, coir, spices, wood and bamboo-based industries and exporters of these products.
The companies will be required to pay a certain percentage of the annual ex-factory gross sales for commercial exploitation of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge. The levy will be deposited in the State Biodiversity Fund and utilised for conservation activities.
KSBB chairman Oommen V. Oommen said the move to seek Mr. Balakrishna’s assistance was prompted by the need for a foolproof ABS mechanism that would not be bogged down by litigation as in other States where industries had moved the courts against the levy.
Towards consensus
“Several rounds of discussions have been held with individual manufacturers and producers associations on the proposed regulations on access to genetic resources. We hope to implement the ABS mechanism through a consensus approach,” he said. KSBB member secretary K.P. Laladhas said Mr. Balakrishna was scheduled to arrive here on Thursday for preliminary discussions on formulating the ABS policy for Kerala.
“The need for a state-specific ABS assessment committee and office mechanism was likely to figure in the talks, apart from identification of sectors and prioritisation,” he said.
