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The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has envisaged that ‘Every local body shall constitute a Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) within its area for the purpose of promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity including preservation of habitats, conservation of land races, folk varieties and cultivars, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals and micro organisms and chronicling of knowledge relating to biological diversity’. Accordingly, the West Bengal Biodiversity Board has taken initiative to constitute Biodiversity Management Committees in every district of West Bengal at Panchayat Samiti and Municipality levels. The WBBB has till date constituted twenty one BMCs in the State and plans to constitute BMCs at the P.S. level in the districts which have not been covered till date.
District |
BMC constituted at Panchayat Samiti (P.S.)/ Municipality |
Gram Panchayat/ Ward selected for PBR activities
|
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|
Champasari G.P. |
|
|
Odlabari G.P. |
|
|
|
| |
4. Nabagram P.S.
|
Total 50 Mouzas |
5. Jalangi P.S.
|
6. Bhagabangola P.S.
|
| Nadia
|
7. Kalyani Municipality
|
All the 19 Wards |
|
7 villages of Jamsherpur G.P.
|
9. Chakdah P.S
|
Silinda G.P. |
| |
|
Paschimpara,Bengai,Kamarpukur,Shyambazar,
Kumarganj,Badanganj-Falui I, Badanganj- FaluiII, Mandarn, Hajipur
|
|
All 23 Wards |
12. Bhadreswar Municipality
|
All the 20 Wards |
| Burdwan |
13 Ketugram P.S.
|
Nabagram G.P. |
| |
14. Dantan II P.S.
|
Jankapur G.P. |
|
|
| Bankura |
|
Mankanali G.P. |
|
Kochdihi G.P. |
|
|
19 villages of Jhalda-Darda G.P.
|
|
|
Patharpratima G.P. |
|
|
| 24 Parganas (N) |
21. Basirhat II P.S. |
Kholapota G.P. |
Role of the BMCs:
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The main function assigned by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to the Biodiversity Management Committees is to prepare People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR) in consultation with the local people. The Registers are to contain comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local bio-resources, their medicinal or any other use or any other traditional knowledge associated with them. Along with these information, the Registers will also contain extensive annotations on the landscape of the area, present land use patterns and the same over a timescape, an overview of the peoplescape and other relevant data deemed necessary for planning proper future strategies of local level management of resources. The other functions of the BMCs include giving advice on any matter referred to it by the State Biodiversity Board or National Biodiversity Authority for granting approval to accessing biological resources of the area, to maintain data about local traditional and indigenous knowledge holders using biological resources. The PBRs will be maintained and validated by the BMCs. The Committee shall also maintain 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 from the use of biological resource and mode of their sharing. |
