Biodiversity committees express concern over amendment of central Biological Act 2002

MARGAO: Fearing terrible impact on traditional medicines of Goa and the local community involved in the business, Chairmen’s of Biodiversity Management Committees have expressed concern over the proposed amendment to central Biological Diversity Act 2002.

On Wednesday few Chairmen’s of Biodiversity Management Committees of Goa held a meeting with Dr Pradip Sarmokadam, member secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) at Saligao, wherein the members resolved to give suggestions to the Parliamentary Committee, after taking opinion from the experts. 

It may be recalled that on December 16, 2021, India proposed amendments to the Biological Diversity Act of 2002 by introducing the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Among other things, the Act imposes an Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) fee on companies that use biological resources in their operations. 

However, it seems Goa was in the dark with regard to the above proposed amendment, and hence Chairmen’s of Biodiversity Committees from different villages met the member secretary of GSBB, and discussed the issue. 

It is pertinent that many environmentalists from other parts of the country have already expressed concern over amendment on the grounds that it prioritises intellect commercial trade at the expense of Act’s key aim of con resources. 

Speaking to Herald Xavier Fernandes, Chairman of Raia Biodiversity Committee said that it is an amendment to the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in the large interest of the country. 

“We met the GSBB in order to discuss the amended bill, as Goa was in the dark about the issue,” said Fernandes. 

However, J Santano Rodrigues, Chairman of Curtorim Biodiversity Committee expressed concern over the proposed amendment to central Biological Act 2002, citing that it will affect the traditional medicine practitioners (Ganvtti Voiz), and also to local medicinal plants. 

“The locals will have no rights over the medicinal plants in Goa. It will further create an impact on the traditional medicine practitioners, which is considered as Goa’s heritage,” said Rodrigues. 

He further said that Goa, besides other States like Kerala, were not taken into consideration at the time of discussion, as these States are very rich in medicinal plants.

The text of the Bill says that it proposes to “widen the scope of levying access and benefit sharing with local communities and for further conservation of biological resources, but Goa has a fear that all the rights of the locals involved in the traditional business will be taken away with the proposed amendment in the Bill.