Workshop on the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Access and Benefit Sharing Regulation 2014 for line department officials, Theni District in Tamil Nadu

29 Apr, 2017

The Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board and GIZ organized a workshop on the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and ABS Provisions 2014 under the Access and Benefit Sharing Project in Theni district of Tamil Nadu on 29 April 2017. The participants were officers from district administration and from various departments dealing with bio-resources such as forests, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry etc.

Participants of the Workshop

This workshop aimed at creating awareness on the important provisions under the Act related to constitution of the Biodiversity Management Committees, roles and responsibilities of BMCs, documentation of PBRs, procedure to access the biological resources by the commercial users etc. Workshop also highlighted examples of benefit sharing from Kani case, broom grass from Tripura.

The workshop was focused on providing the understanding that, all biological resources come under the purview of the Act and it is not just limited to resources coming from forests. Certain exemptions under Act was also highlighted.

Thiru. N. Venkatachalam, IAS District Collector of Theni addressing the participants.

The District collector of Theni, Thiru. N. Venkatachalam requested specific information on constituting BMCs and documentation of PBRs. Participants were keen on knowing whether provisions of the Act is applicable for cultivated resources and Act can be invoked for preventing exploitation by commercial breeders and conservation of local breeds of Combai dogs in Tamil Nadu.

Dr. CP Rajkumar, Member of Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board was present and assisted in organizing this workshop.

Participants also expressed the need for training workshops to gain understanding of their role in implementing the Act and constituting the BMCs. Forty-three participants attended the workshop.