Dimapur, September 16 (MExN): The expert committee constituted by the Government of Nagaland to draft the Nagaland Biological Diversity Rules (NBR), has solicited ‘views and opinions’ from civil society. The move is to make the process participatory and inclusive and to ensure that the rules best represent the aspirations of the people it will govern.
A note from member of the expert committee, Raj K Verma, Joint Secretary, Government of Nagaland said a comprehensive questionnaire has been framed and is being circulated in the rural areas of Nagaland through facilitators. To elicit views from urban pockets as well as the Naga Diaspora, the questionnaire is available on the internet and can be downloaded from http://nagaland.nic.in/NBR/questionaire.pdf. Respondents are requested to email their responses to nepedkhm@yahoo.co.in or ketsukha@gmail.com or post by surface mail to NEPED Project, PO Box 231, Kohima GPO, Nagaland, 797001 latest by 16th October 2009.
The North Eastern Region of India, extending to deep-south of Myanmar and Vietnam is the second largest biodiversity zone of the world next to the Amazon basin of South America. This region is habitat of millions of species of rich forest, both flora and fauna. This is regarded as the largest and deepest bio-corridor of the South East Asia. “The rich biodiversity is the wealth of Nagaland. We therefore, appeal to you to examine each question carefully and reply to them to the best of your knowledge because your responses will form the basis of our Nagaland Biological Diversity Rules that sustains our rich heritage for posterity,” the questionnaire’s preface states.
Samplings of the questionnaire state a variety of posers:
What do you understand by the term “biodiversity”? Which of the following aspects of biodiversity are of concern to you? (a. Conservation) (b. Over-exploitation) (c. Loss) (d. Sustainable use) (e. Others); Are you aware of the Nagaland State Biodiversity Action Plan? Yes / No. If Yes, were you consulted for this process? Yes / No. Are you aware of the National Biodiversity Act (NBA)? Yes/No. Do you know of any customary laws/ practices that deal with biodiversity (medicinal plants/orchids/ animals/ birds/insects/ stone quarrying/ tapping of water resources…..etc) conservation and its uses in your village/ community/ tribe/ area? Yes/No. What are the traditional norms or laws that govern or regulate the sustainable use of resources in your community? (Hunting, fishing, plant/ mushroom/ fruit collection etc)
