The Hindu : National : Ministry delaying National Biodiversity Action Plan

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Saturday, Aug 14, 2004

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National

Ministry delaying National Biodiversity Action Plan

By Meena Menon

MUMBAI, AUG. 13. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) is delaying the release of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) even though it has been ready for several months and was formulated under the Ministry's supervision.

The national action plan advocates that the focus of all planning and decision-making in India should achieve the twin objectives of ecological and livelihood security. The Pune-based environmental action research group, Kalpavriksh, coordinated this Rs. 4 crore MOEF project, funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). But according to Ashish Kothari of Kalpavriksh, the report has not yet been printed although the MOEF had agreed to have it ready for public distribution earlier this year.

The NBSAP is a requirement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was signed by India way back in 1991. The plan was submitted for comments one-and-a-half years ago.

Final draft ready

The final draft was ready last December after much review and after three rounds of seeking comments at various levels (including Union Ministries) and undergoing subsequent revisions over the last one-year.

Mr. D. D. Verma, joint secretary and national project director, NBSAP, told The Hindu that the report has to be placed before the inter-ministerial group as the project involves several Ministries. After that, it has to be approved by the Cabinet.

He said that NBSAP provisions had to conform to the National Environment Policy, which was in the final stages of being formulated. It is also learnt that the MOEF now feels that the plan needs further review.

Earlier plans such as the National Forestry Action Plan or the Wildlife Action Plan did not go through such procedures.

Reversal in decision

However, Mr. Kothari said that his organisation had not been informed by the MOEF about a reversal in its decision to print the copies. "We see no reason why the culmination of this four-year process has to await a new Environment Policy, of which in any case there is no sign, no public draft available. The Government has a contractual obligation to prepare a national biodiversity action plan and it is also a legal requirement under the CBD. We were hoping that by now the Plan would be under implementation, but now this is a long way off. This goes against the very democratic spirit in which MOEF itself facilitated this process, and showcased it all over the world as one of its best projects."

Despite this delay, the Government has already signed a contract worth $ 3 millions with UNDP for a project on medicinal plants that is part of the NBSAP. On the other hand, another project on conservation and livelihoods that is a follow-up to NBSAP, was also signed but has been held up reportedly because the MOEF backtracked on the plan and says it does not recognise it as being workable.

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