PANJIM: In a major achievement, Goa has become the second State in the country to have formed Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at village panchayats (VP). This has been claimed by Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB). The State has 191 panchayats.
BMCs will ensure conservation and sustainable utilisation of biological resources, eco restoration of local biodiversity, management of heritage sites including heritage trees, animals, micro organisms, scared groves, scared water bodies, etc.
GSBB is also the first State Board to provide Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) signatories with ‘Biodiversity Mark’. “Three ABS agreements of Goa were signed on September 7, 2018 in the presence of the Thematic Expert Committee on ABS,” GSBB said.
The ABS signatories are Krishna Plantations Pvt Ltd, Margao for ‘lalparas’(coconut sap), Tanshikar Spice Farms, Netravali, for ‘bee pollen’ and Raika and Company for ‘beeswax and propolis’.
“The ‘Biodiversity Mark’ has to be displayed on the products for which ABS agreement has been signed. The Biodiversity Mark represents commitment of the ABS signatories towards sustainable conservation efforts carried out for the particular bio-resource used,” the Board said.
It added that the move will also encourage other bio-resource users to sign ABS agreements with GSBB, whereby more contributions will be added to the Biodiversity funds leading to better conservation of the concerned resources.
