Three years since the formation of the Gujarat Biodiversity Board, it does not even have an office.
Even as the world celebrates today as World Biodiversity Day, with the aim of creating awareness about fast-vanishing flora and fauna in all kinds of ecologies, the Gujarat Biodiversity Board is in a state of disrepair. Having come into existence on May 10, 2006, it is yet to have an office or staff of its own.
The Gujarat Biodiversity Board is chaired by the chief secretary, and the principal secretary of forests and principal chief conservator of forests are members. However, the state government has removed the permanent member secretary of the board, which has been managed by the in-charge member secretary for the past six months.
“The government has not given the board any importance. In the last financial year, a grant of Rs40 lakh, meant for carrying out various activities related to biodiversity conservation and development, lapsed on account of the lack of staff. The board exists only on paper. After three years, it has not even published its rules and regulations, which is mandatory under the Biodiversity Act,” a highly placed source in the state forest department said.
No figures or even estimates of biodiversity in the state are available with the Gujarat Biodiversity Board. When asked about rapidly spreading invasive plant species such as Prosopis julifora (Gando Baval), in-charge member secretary NS Yadav (IFS) said, “No studies on the impact of such invasive plant species on the state’s biodiversity are available. However, we are going to take up a holistic biodiversity study in five districts, namely Kutch, Junagadh, Anand, Mehsana and the Dangs.” He further said that the board was likely to publish the rules for issuing rights to commercial usage of the state’s biodiversity soon.
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