Preparation of J&K Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan
*Step imperative for effective conservation of biodiversity
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 4: Started four years back, the process of formulating J&K’s Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan has yet not reached the logical conclusion despite the fact that such a policy is imperative for sustainable use of biological resources and equitable sharing of benefits derived from them.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that process for making of draft Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for UT of Jammu and Kashmir was initiated in the year 2020 and “The Celestial Earth”, a group of internationally acclaimed professionals was assigned the task.
The process involved consultation with all the concerned departments like Agriculture Department, Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department, Department of Horticulture, Department of Floriculture, Department of Fisheries, Department of Wildlife Protection and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department.
In the 3rd meeting of J&K Biodiversity Council held on April 8, 2022, it was stated that Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) will be shortly submitted to the Government for its final approval so that Union Territory of J&K have the strategy and action plan on biodiversity conservation and the related issues for the years 2022-2030.
In another meeting of the Biodiversity Council held on July 8, 2023, it was revealed that BSAP document for J&K UT was submitted to the Government for approval Vide Letter No. JKUT /BC/Meeting/ 2022-23/23-33 dated 08.04.2022. However, the Administrative Department advised to discuss the BSAP document with stakeholder departments before approval could be accorded.
Thereafter, the meetings were held with the stakeholder departments, which raised certain queries regarding breakup of financial outlays shown against each action point /strategy/activity, the details of which were to be sought from the “The Celestial Earth”, an organization which had drafted BSAP. It was decided to conduct a further meeting with stakeholder departments after clarification from “The Celestial Earth”.
The action points and strategies pertaining to each department were discussed again and it was informed that J&K Biodiversity Council is not a funding agency and no separate fund allocation shall be made to meet the prescribed action points. Accordingly, it was decided that the financial targets assigned against action points for different departments shall be excluded from the document and “The Celestial Earth” shall submit a revised draft.
In a meeting held on September 9, 2023, it was informed that a meeting was held for finalization of BSAP with all the DFOs, representative of “The Celestial Earth” and others on 29-08-2023 and the participants were advised to submit feedback after examining the draft BSAP. The feedback has been accordingly submitted by all the DFOs/participants and the Member Secretary of the Biodiversity Council was advised to go through the feedback and ensure the changes, wherever necessary, are incorporated at the earliest so that the final document can be sent to the Administrative Department for approval.
“Since then neither any meeting of J&K Biodiversity Council has been convened nor any progress could be made for finalization of draft BSAP”, sources informed while expressing inability to specify any time-frame for completion of exercise, which was started way back in 2020.
When contacted, some ex-officio members of J&K Biodiversity Council, while wishing anonymity, confirmed that BSAP for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has yet not been finalized. “Had some decision been taken we would have been informed”, they added.
When approached, J Frankoi, Member Secretary of the J&K Biodiversity Council confirmed that BSAP has yet not been finalized. “We are still in the process of holding discussion with the stakeholders”.
It is pertinent to mention here that BSAP will be a key document in the years to come keeping in view the vulnerability of J&K to climate change and its linkage to biodiversity. The draft BSAP comprises of 11 Themes, 38 Strategies and 161 Activities covering all the aspects of conservation of biodiversity and involves all the major departments to play a role towards biodiversity conservation.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
