Morung Express News
Kohima | October 9
Amidst varied views and opinions, the two-days state level Consultation on National Biodiversity Act 2002, which concluded today, agreed to accept the Act in principle, but underscored the needs to frame ‘state specific rules’ conforming to it. The summary of the two days noted that nothing is against the Act, but the rights of the people must be protected.
Significantly, for the first time, creative use of Article 371 (A) for the effective conservation and empowering of village council on biodiversity conservation was seriously taken into consideration. The consultation identified three key challenges: the need to maintain biodiversity register, take it to the gene bank and to obtain accession number.
Another challenge, the consultation poised before the state government and people is the need to frame preemptive measures against piracy and random exploitation, especially from the local people itself, and certain internal implications that the Act could bring about in the implementing process. It also prioritized the need to incorporate the diverse Naga traditional systems of governance for common conservation policy, and further incorporate conservation with economic development of the people.
The need to make distinction between ‘what has to be kept secret and what has to be made public domain’ after documentation, also dominated the discussion. Danger of not allowing research or documentation, where it is likely that biodiversity will suffer loss in the absence of proper record and records is another key area, the consultation took note of. It suggested that the Act be used as a threshold to business opportunity, instead of lamenting on biodiversity losses due to lack of proper data and legal protection, as it is happening in Nagaland even now.
State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who wrapped up the consultation, in his valedictory speech, said that Nagas are also obligated to international laws, and the National Biodiversity Act is the outcome of the international convention, he asserted. “We need to protect our share of global concern for our posterity”, Rio also said, without directly stating that the Act is acceptable.
However, he stressed on the need to adopt proper legislation for conservation so as to ensure maximum benefits to the people. “Unless the state government make law, we can not do anything on this”, Rio said, asserting that the rights and ownership of the people over biodiversity has to be recognized.
Rio also cautioned people against talking too much about their rights, without actually carrying out their duty.
Amongst the other issues discussed, the consultation also underlined the need to conduct further state wide consultation, to avoid any ambiguity in the rules, creates awareness amongst the root roots level, capacity building, funding and financial assistance from the government, empowered state biodiversity board, instead of depending too much on National Biodiversity Authority etc.
Also the need to include wide range of people like the community representative, law department, environmentalist, agriculture and allied department, science and technology, academicians etc while framing the rules, were also recorded during the consultation.
The two days consultation was supported by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and is organised by department Forest and Environment, Nagaland and NEPED.
