| Strategy Workshop on Biological Diversity Act & Rules | ||
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Hyderabad
Thursday, 9 September 2004 |
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| As you are probably aware
the Ministry of Environment and Forests notified the Biological Diversity
Rules in April 2004 as part of the implementation process of the Biological
Diversity Act, 2002. This law essentially provides for a system to regulate
access, use and benefit-sharing vis-à-vis biological resources.
Following this as envisaged in the Act, a National Biodiversity Authority
has already been set up in Chennai & the process of setting up of
State Biodiversity Boards is already underway in many state governments.
What is even more critical is the setting up of the Biodiversity Management
Committees at the local level, which were meant to operationalise decentralised
decision-making on bioresources. However, the Rules in severely undermining
the role of these local committees make a mockery of the principle of
community sovereignty. This among other things is the perceived problem
with the implementing Rules. The issues involved have serious implications
on people's rights to not only their resources but also the knowledge
base of these resources.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to fully comprehend the impact of
this new legal regime - the Act read with its Rules. Following which
strategic discussions would necessarily precede any individual &
collective action. With this objective Deccan Development Society, Kalpavriksh
& GRAIN organising a day-long National level Strategy Workshop on
Biological Diversity Act & Rules on Thursday, 9 September 2004 at
ASRC, Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad. |
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