With the new elected councils assuming charge, the local bodies have been asked to reconstitute their biodiversity management committees (BMC) by January 31.
The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has written to the heads and secretaries of grama panchayats, block panchayats, district panchayats, municipalities, and corporations in this regard.
The terms of the BMCs correspond to that of the elected councils of the local bodies. Therefore, once a new elected council takes over, the BMCs also need to be reconstituted. The board has asked the local bodies to urgently take steps in this direction.
The Biodiversity Act, 2002, requires every local body to constitute a BMC in its jurisdictions for “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.”
The BMCs, headed by the presidents, chairpersons or Mayors concerned, should have eight members, including the secretary of the local body. The remaining six members are nominated by the elected council of the local body. Of this, one member should be from the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and two members should be women. Also, one of the six nominated members should be appointed as convener.
The board has also asked local bodies to report the details of the reconstituted BMCs to it by January 31.
