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    Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC)

    Biodiversity Management Committee

    Under Section 41(1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, every local body in the State shall constitute a Biodiversity Management Committee within its area of jurisdiction for the purpose of promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity including preservation of habitats, conservation of land races, folk varieties & cultivars, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals and micro-organisms and chronicling of knowledge relating to biological diversity.

    • The Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) to be constituted under section 41(1), shall consist of a Secretary and not more than six persons nominated by the local body, of whom not less than one third should be women and not less than 18% should belong to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes;
      Provided that the members of the committee shall be the proven resident of the local body and their names should be included in the electoral roll of the concerned local body.
    • The Chairperson of the BMC shall be elected from amongst 06 nominated members of the committee in a meeting to be chaired by the Chairperson of the local body. The Chairperson of the local body shall have the casting votes in case of a tie.
    • The Secretary of the BMC shall be the Gram Sachiv In Gram Panchayat /Panchayat Secretary or any person nominated by the Panchayat Department for Block and District BMCs.
    • The local Member of State Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament would be special invitees to the meetings of the Committee.
    • The tenure of the BMC shall be maximum of 05 years and shall be co-terminus with the tenure of the local body, however, the existing BMC shall continue to function, until a new committee is constituted.
    • The BMCs shall hold a minimum of 4 meetings in a year and meet at least once in every 3 months. The meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the BMC, and in his/her absence, by any other member elected by the members present. The quorum at every meeting shall be 03 including the Chairperson and excluding official member (secretary).
    • The main function of the BMC is to prepare People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) in consultation with local people. The Register shall contain comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use or any other traditional knowledge associated with them. The BMC shall be responsible for ensuring the protection of the knowledge recorded in PBR, especially to regulate its access to outside persons and agencies.
    • In addition to preparation of the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR), the BMCs in their respective jurisdiction shall also be responsible for the following :-
      • Conservation, sustainable use and access and benefit sharing of biological resources.
      • Eco-restoration of the local biodiversity.
      • Feedback/information to the Board and the National Biodiversity Authority in the matter of Intellectual Property Right (IPR), Traditional Knowledge and local Biodiversity issues.
      • Management of Biodiversity Heritage Sites including Heritage Trees, Animals/ Micro organisms etc., and Sacred Groves and Sacred Water bodies.
      • Regulation of access to the biological resources and/ or associated Traditional Knowledge, for commercial and research purposes.
      • Conservation of traditional varieties/breeds of economically important plants/animals.
      • Biodiversity Education and Awareness building.
      • Documentation, enable procedure to develop bio‐cultural protocols.
    • To advise on any matter referred to it by the State Biodiversity Board for granting approval, maintain data about the local vaids and practitioners using the biological resources.
    • Technical Support Group (TSG) may be constituted by the Board at appropriate level (State/Region/ District/Development block/Gram Panchayat etc). The TSG formed at any level may include representatives from departments like Forests, Agriculture, Horticulture, Veterinary, Fishery, Local Educational and Research Institutions, Autonomous District Councils, Non Governmental Organizations, Herbal Practitioners etc. based on the local conditions. The Technical Support Group shall assist the BMC in listing local names and traditional knowledge relating to flora & fauna, and current practices of communities regarding conservation within its territorial jurisdiction, to be included in the PBR.
    • The BMC shall ensure the documentation of the particulars in People’s Biodiversity Registers as prescribed by the National Biodiversity Authority. The Board shall provide guidance and technical support to the Biodiversity Management Committees for preparing People’s Biodiversity Registers.
    • The People’s Biodiversity Registers shall be maintained and validated by the Biodiversity Management Committees. It shall then be counter signed by the Board through its authorized officer.
    • The BMC shall also maintain a Register giving information about the details of the access to biological resources and traditional knowledge granted, details of the collection fee imposed and details of the benefits derived and the mode of their sharing from area within its jurisdiction.
    • The BMC may levy charges by way of collection fees from any person for accessing or collecting any biological resource for commercial purposes from areas falling within its territorial jurisdiction. The Board shall provide guidance to the BMCs for the said purpose.
    • As per sub section (1) of sec. 43 of the act, there shall be constituted a fund to be called ‘’Local Biodiversity Fund’’ at the level of local body, which shall be maintained and used in the following manner:-
      • The Local Biodiversity Fund shall be used for conservation and promotion of biodiversity as advised by the Board in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the concerned local body and for the benefit of the local community, in so far as such use is consistent with conservation of biodiversity.
      • All funds of the BMC shall be operated jointly by the Chairperson and the Secretary of the BMC. The Board shall lay down the guidelines for operation of the fund including ways to make its functioning transparent and accountable.
      • The Secretary of the BMC shall maintain the accounts of the committee. The accounting procedures shall be drawn up and format for the maintenance of the accounts/registers shall be provided by the Board.
      • The accounts of the Local Biodiversity Fund shall be audited annually by the auditor specially appointed for the said purpose by the Board. The Secretary of the BMC shall furnish audited copy of accounts together with auditor’s report of the previous financial year to the concerned local body and the Board by September 30th every year.
      • The BMC shall prepare its annual report, giving full account of its activities during the previous financial year along with audited copy of accounts together with auditor’s report thereon, and submit a copy thereof to the Board and the local body in prescribed form.

    Section 22, Biological Diversity Rules, 2004: Constitution of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

    • Every local body (i.e. Panchayat, Municipality, etc.) shall constitute a Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) within its area of jurisdiction.
    • The Biodiversity Management Committee as constituted under sub-rule (1) shall consist of a Chairperson and not more than six persons nominated by the local body, of whom not less than one third should be women and not less than 18% should belong to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
    • The Chairperson of the Biodiversity Management Committee shall be elected from amongst the members of the committee in a meeting to be chaired by the Chairperson of the local body. The Chairperson of the local body shall have the casting votes in case of a tie.
    • The tenure of the Biodiversity Management Committee shall be of five years or co-terminus with the tenure of the local body (Guidelines for the Operationalization of the Biodiversity Management Committees).
    • The local Member of Legislative Assembly/ Member of Legislative Council and Member of Parliament would be special invitees to the meetings of the Committee.
    • The main function of the BMC is to prepare People’s Biodiversity Register in consultation with the local people. The Register shall contain comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use.
    • The other functions of the BMC are to advice on any matter referred to it by the State Biodiversity Board or Authority for granting approval, to maintain data about the local vaids and practitioners using the biological resources.
    • The Authority shall take steps to specify the form of the People’s Biodiversity Registers, and the particulars it shall contain and the format for electronic database.
    • The Authority and the State Biodiversity Boards shall provide guidance and technical support to the Biodiversity Management Committees for preparing People’s Biodiversity Registers.
    • The People’s Biodiversity Registers shall be maintained and validated by the Biodiversity Management Committees.
    • The Committee shall also maintain a Register giving information about the details of the access to biological resources and traditional knowledge granted, details of the collection fee imposed and details of the benefits derived and the mode of their sharing.