J&K Biodiversity Council

The Jammu and Kashmir government recently set up a 10-member biodiversity council. It will document the biodiversity of the union territory.

Key Points

• The council will maintain a Peoples Biodiversity Register (PBR) with the help of representatives from local governance bodies.
• The biodiversity council will function in consultation with National Biodiversity Authority, as per an order issued by General Administration Department (GAD).
• The process to maintain a Peoples Biodiversity Register will be initiated in every Panchayat and municipal committee.
• The work conducted by the biodiversity council will be monitored by the bio-diversity committees at three levels –

1. National Biodiversity Authority Headquartered
2. J&K Bio-Diversity Council
3. Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)

• The committees will be set up in all the Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies except for the seven ULB’s in Kashmir that have remained unfilled due to “certain reasons.”

 Biodiversity Council-Composition

• The biodiversity council comprises 10 members.
• It includes five ex-officio members and five non-official members.
• The council beheaded by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Jammu and Kashmir, Mohit Gera.
• Jammu and Kashmir’s Forest Research Institute Director will serve as the member secretary of the council.
• The other members of the council include the chief wildlife warden, a Forest Department representative and others.
• The non-official members of the council include former IFS officers – Dr. CM Seth, Dr Sushi Verma, Dr. Anzar Khuroo, Dr Om Prakash Sharma and professor Geeta Sumbli. The term of the non-official members of the council will be for a period of three years.

Jammu and Kashmir Biodiversity Council Fund

The Bio-Diversity Council comprise a fund after the concurrence of the Finance department, which is known as “Jammu and Kashmir Biodiversity Council Fund”. All the fees, charges and benefit-sharing amount received by the Council will be credited to the fund.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2020