Team Herald
PANJIM: Dr Giridhar Kinhal, chairperson of National committee on Access and Benefit Sharing on Friday said the enforcement entities dealing with biodiversity protection must tap the media by using them for the dissemination of legal provision for the benefit of the biological resources.
“The effort of engaging with the media is to strengthen the relationship of the two pillars of democracy. The engagement with this pillar is unique in one sense the rapport of the public with the media is very positive and is based on the trust,” Kinhal said.
He said the enforcement entities in the country must tap this trait of the media and use them for dissemination and appropriate application of the legal provisions for the benefit of the biodiversity.
Kinhal was speaking during a special awareness session on Biological Diversity Act and Access and Benefit Sharing Rules and other aspects related to biodiversity regulations, organized by the Goa Biodiversity Board (GBB) and the Goa Union of Journalists. The senior officer said the performance in a sector where the resources are ubiquitously distributed with nebulous ownership regimes depends on the awareness and clarity on the objectives of convention and the legal environment. “Media as an indirect stakeholder, who have the onus of education and building awareness among those dependent on the biological resources, can play an important role,” he said.
Speaking about the punishment involved in case of violation, Kinhal said the failure to obtain permission from the State board for use of biological resources will attract three years imprisonment or a fine of Rs five lakh or both. “Any offence under the Biological Diversity Act is cognizable and non-bailable,” he stated.
