The Resident Commissioners of at least seven States besides that of four UTs were issued bailable warrants on Thursday by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for not appearing before it despite issuance of notice, during proceedings on the implementation of the Biological Diversity Act 2002.
The Resident Commissioners of Gujarat, Karnataka, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab and Tripura, besides from the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar, lakshadweep and Puducherry are facing action on the directives of the green bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar.
"Despite service, nobody appears on behalf of Respondents ...Consequently, we issue bailable warrant against Resident Commissioners of these Respondents in the sum of Rs 10,000 each to the satisfaction of the arresting Officer, in exercise of our powers and in terms of the provision of Section 19 (4) (a) of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010...," said the bench in this regard. The next hearing has been fixed for September 29.
The Biological Diversity Act 2002 aims at preserving biological diversity in the country, providing mechanism for equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of traditional biological resources and knowledge.
The case was being heard on a plea filed by Pune resident Chandra Bhal Singh. Singh in his plea alleged that various states, have not only failed to pay adequate attention to the unique biodiversity prevalent in India, but also not undertaken their statutory obligations with "seriousness and have remained oblivious in discharging the statutory provision in last couple of years."
The plea has sought for setting up of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level in every state under Section 41 of Biological Biodiversity Act 2002. The purpose of BMCs are for "promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity".
The plea specifically claimed that several State Biodiversity Boards have not constituted such committees as yet.
It further said the People's Biodiversity Register, a document which records the diversity of flora and fauna, has also not been prepared by the BMCs in many states.
The tribunal had earlier issued notices to Environment ministry, National Biodiversity Authority and State Biodiversity Boards in this regard.