Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 21
Minister for forests, environment, ecology & wildlife and Excise M.C. Konyak today moved a resolution for extension of applicability of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in the state.
After moving this resolution for adoption on the floor of the House today by the latter, NLA speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie said that discussion and adoption of the same shall be taken up on September 22.
Moving this on the floor of the House, the minister said Article 371-A of the Constitution of India provides that notwithstanding anything in this constitution; no Act of Parliament in respect of- religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the state of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides;
He said the National Biodiversity Act 2002 relates to land and its resources and falls under Article 371-A (I) (a) (iv).
He stated that Rule 22- A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly provides that the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly shall constitute a committee for scrutinizing every Act of the Parliament to see if any or all provisions of such Act effect any or all the matters enumerated in Article 371-A (1) (a).
The Minister added that the Committee to scrutinize parliamentary laws for application to the state of Nagaland held its meeting on March 2 this year and examined the National Biodiversity Act, 2002 and found that the said Act provides for conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its component, fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources, knowledge, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
He said that Act is required to be adopted for creating an institutional framework for biological diversity conservation in the state arising out of the use of these resources and the associated traditional knowledge, adding “Accordingly the committee recommended for extension and application of the National Biodiversity Act, 2002 to the state of Nagaland.”
“The House, therefore, resolves to adopt the Biodiversity Act, 2002 for application in the state of Nagaland, effective from the date of passing of this resolution,” the minister added.
