Biological Diversity Act 2002 and its Importance for Conservation of Biological Resources

Abstract

Biodiversity is well known source for fulfillment of human needs and vital role for the survival of this planet. India has immense biological diversity due to availability of various ecological habitats. This biodiversity has been endangered and threatened globally due to loss of habitats, exploitation, over consumption, unregulated trade, poaching, pollution and global warming remarkably after decade of 1950. The boi-wealth is decreasing very speedly due to illegel human activities. India is also facing this problem. To conserve and protect biodiversity many local measures were also done in India in ancient time. But the level of loss of biodiversity has increased so much during 20th century. Although there are so many acts and legislations related to biodiversity conservation governing the rules directly or indirectly. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has a great impotance in history of consevation of Biological resources in India. National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in the year 2003 which is a body to implement this act properly in the country. This progressive act addresses several aspects relating to conservation and management of biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, equitable sharing of benefits from the use of biological resources, regulated access to biological and genetic resources, many provisions regarding benefit sharing to access and transfer of biological resources or knowledge for various purposes. The Act is implemented for conservation of biodiversity and benefit of public through National Biodiversity Aithority (NBA) at national level, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at state level and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at local level. The NBA takes measures to protect the biological diversity of the country and oppose the grant of intellectual property rights to any other country on any biological resource of India or its knowledge. On the recommendations of National Biodiversity Authority many areas of biological importance have been set up as heritage sites.