JAMMU: Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Environment and Ecology, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, today convened meeting regarding implementation of National Green Tribunal (NGT) order for formation of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) and preparation of People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs). Dwivedi asked the Rural Development Department to coordinate with Panchayats for constitution of BMCs which will further prepare PBRs. He said that the working of BMCs will be strictly monitored by the concerned District Forest Officers and Block Development Officers.
Regarding training to be imparted to the BMCs, Dwivedi said that a seven member Committee has already been constituted for the purpose. The training will be provided in a phased manner to the concerned in all district headquarters. Commissioner Secretary exhorted upon the concerned officers to work in tandem so that the BMCs are formulated expeditiously for larger interest of the society.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, T Rabi Kumar, while elaborating on broad contours of BMCs and PBRs, said that every local body shall constitute BMCs within its area of jurisdiction. The main function of the BMCs is to prepare PBRs in consultation with the local people, he added. He said that the BMCs shall also maintain a register giving information about the details of access to biological resources, related traditional knowledge, details of the benefits derived and the mode of their sharing.
He further briefed and said that all efforts would be made to ensure that the desired targets are achieved in this regard in the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the days to come. Among others the meeting was attended by Director Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Department, Mohammad Rafi; Principal Chief Conservation Forests/Director, SFRI, Om Prakash Sharma; Special Secretary Forests, P K. Raghav and other senior officers.