Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Board to set up panels to protect bio-diversity

HYDERABAD: The AP Biodiversity Board, vested with the responsibility of protecting biodiversity in the State will soon set up village level biodiversity management committees in every district and maintain bio-diversity registry.

Disclosing this to media persons, Board Chairman R. Hampaiah said as per AP Biodiversity Act 2002 which the board would implement, any organisation or individual should take permission of Board for any commercial utilisation of biological resource or even a bio-survey. Such permissions should be obtained from the board in the required format by Dec.12, he said.

Dr. Hampaiah said it had come to their notice that Coco Cola company was interested in using a root ‘Nannare’ (Hemidesmus) with a pleasant aroma in its beverages and ‘Stevia’ a sugar plant, with 20 times more sweetness than ordinary sugar in its soft drink. However they would have to take clearance from the board for such use and before that approval of local biodiversity management committees.

Such measures were necessary to protect the rich bio-diversity in the State, its sustainable utilisation and fair and equitable sharing of biological resources among all stake holders.

Board member secretary V.B. Ramana Murthy said several native species including plants and insects like spiders, butter flies, etc., were being taken from State and sold outside the country as pets attracting provisions of bio-piracy.

Biodiversity management committees had been formed in Veerapuram, Mahanandi, thimmamma Marri manu, Telineelapuram etc., and some of them were recognised as biological heritage sites to protect valuable bio-diversity for posterity, he said.

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