BI OL OG IC AL DI VE RS IT Y

ve rsi ty in clu de s di ve rsi ty wi th in species, between speci

Bi ol og ica l di 71 sa cr ed gro ve s, 72 the nu~ a~d
n of pr es er vi ng
of ec o- sy ste m . Th e traddi tio 11 . h . ten an ce of eco logi es
serical
"ldl" r . 1 sm a pa rt ~n t e ~a 1n
o.f w1 . ire sp ec ies , p aye a ve ry tio n po lic y was biased to animal
e de cla re d co ns er va
d1vers1ty. In th e pa st, th
ca ts an d lar ge m am m al s, wh ile pr ot ec tio n an d conservatios~
es pe ci al ly bi g ro ve s an d biological wealth
tre es , m ic ro -o rg an ism s, ma ng
of pl an ts, fo re st di d no t favour saving one of
73 lat e se ve nt ies , th e co ur t
we re ig no re d. In th e
n tro pi ca l fo re sts ric h w ith di ve rse an d complex flor a
th e la rg es t ev er gr ee
74 tis ts lai d em ph as is on th e ne ed for demarcatio n
an d fa un a. Ho we ve r, sc ien

70 AIR 2007 Raj 24.

Th e Un ite d Na tio ns Co nv en tio n on Biological Dive rsity 19d92L', art 4.' . E development
71 co-
. Vartak 'Sacred Gr ov es -A Sanctuary for Lofty Trees an 1anas , m58
72 VD ' a Fo res t Re sea rch Ins · ute, 1986 , PP 55, · t 1980.
tit
ofW es t ofWestern Ghats , Ke ral
on me nta l Pr ior itie s in In dia an d Sustainable Developm en'
73 TN Kh os ho o, Envir
l krishnan (ed), [)u
PP 94, 95.
t valle y cas e: An eco log ica l ass ess ment' ' in p Lee a d hydro-elecrr'.~
74 M K Prasad, 'Silen eg ed tha t if the p~opose upon cliin anc
91 , pp 11 6, 12 3. It wa s all
an d Environment, 19 ld h b een an adv erse impact
. . h wo u av e
proJect was im ple me nte d, t ere
the eco logy.
conditions, the bio-diversity an d
152
 ~ f gene pool reserves and gene san t . 75
cuon . c uanes. Th
d prote 1 ng-term conservation of biodiversity d d ey stressed
311 c r a o an evelo
bar 1° artern of resource use, the involvement f h l pment of
r rainab1e6 p o t e ocal people was
5liS . }7
entla .
es-
S

• on Bio-diversity
ConvenUO 0
·d a of conservation of bio-diversity has been d I d .
f he 1 e 77 h · • eve ope over wide-
. efforts at t e 1nternattonal level. The Wi Id C .
ranging_ • . . or onservat10n
1
irv1s gave a maJor po icy guidance. However it was th ,. .
Srrateb' . d . . ' e commg mto
force of the Unite N:t1o~s Conve~t1on on Biological Qiversity (CBD)79
w1r. h more concrete obJecuves and greater consensus , ·whi'oh brough t about
a breakthrough. The CBD lays down th,ree objectives-·(i) the conservation
of biological div:rsity; (ii) ~he sustainable use of its tcimpo~erits; and (iii)
rhe fair and equitable shanng of benefits arising out of the utilisation of
. 80
genettc resour~es. . .
Biological d1vers1ty was defineq as the 'variability among living orgahisms
from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, 't:narine and other aquatic
eco-system and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this indudes
diversity within species, between species and of eco-system'. 81 Stressing
that all states have the sovereign rights to exploit their own resources, the
CBD laid down that all contracting parties should co-ope'rate for ~he

75 Scientists championed for protection and conservation of wild germplasms, so as to save

the plasms from extinction. See Impact of the Development ofScience and Technology on
Environment, Indi~ Science Congliess Association, 1981, P 184. .
76 Madhav Gadgil, 'Saving Sub-Continent's Wealth', The Hindu Survey o[the Environment,
1991, p 140, at p 141. . r . h p ·
77 Convention on Wetlands oflnternational Importance 1971 ;_ Convention ~or_ t e rotecno~
al H . l 972· Convennon on lnternanonal Trade o
of World Cultural and Natur encage l ' .C tion on the Conservation of
E d . fW'ldl'1f◄ F a and F ora 1973 , onven .
n angered Species o 1 e aun . For the text, see PatriGia W Bernie and
European Wildlife and Natural Hahita~ IL, ·
1979
d+he Environmen~ '1995 pp 375-89
r ti rnattona aw an , , ' ,
Alan Boyle, Basic Documents on J. n e
and pp 415-67. · d by International Uniop for Conservation
78 The World .Conservauon
. S tegy was prepare
tra
. , '. d N .
IUCN) with as'sistance .from the Um~e auons
of Nature and Natural Resources ( Wi Id Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the year
Environmental Program (UNEP) and .alr cological processes and life support systems,
0

. of essentl e . d
1980 It called for maintenance . ble utilisation of species an eco-system.
· . . . and sustama . .
preservation of geneuc divers!~ . lo ical Divers1ty 1992. The Convenuon was
8 . J
79 The United Nations C onven uon on. dIOO ened g . Ri C r
for signature m o onrerence m une
adopted in Nairobi on 2 2 M Y 1992 an p p · · W B. · d Al
a December 1992. For text, see acnc1a 1rme an an
1992 It came into force on 29 . /LawandtheEnvironment, 1995, pp 390-41 4.
. n Jnternattona . . 4
Boyle, Basic Documents O • Biological D1vetsicy, art · ·
80 United Nations C onve nuon on
 Environmental La,u, in India - - - - ~
.
conservation and sustainable use of bio-diver5 ity, eve op nat,onaJ srrir
· d I · ~
lans and programm es , identify and monitor compo nents of biolo~~:
P c . . .d . g,c.i
di versity and make end eavo urs ror in-situ an t rt.. -Sl tu con se rvari
. I . on
Sustainable use was defin ed as the use of components O f hto og,c~ div~r
d I' sit-,
in a way and at a rate that did not lead to the long-re rrn ec ine of biol~
diversity, thereby maintaining its potenti al ro mee t th e need~and asprr~uo:
of present and futu re generations. ~
8

The CBD stated that all contracting parri es should in tegrate into th~1i
natio nal decisio n-mak ing, conse rvati on and susta in able: u<;e of biologic.il
resources with minimum adverse impact on biological diver~i ry. Protectton
and encouragement of customa ry use oF biologicJ I resources w ._15 anoche·
salient feature of CBD. 84 This use should be in accorcbnce with craditioni
cultural practices compat ible wi rh rh c r<:q u i remen ts of conservacion or
sustainable use. Local populati ons shoul d be c; upporrl·d in order co develop
and implement remedial action in degr._1ded arc.is where biofogio J diversm
had been reduced. Co-operati on between go \·ernm enra l aurhorirics .rnd
private sector in the developing countri es was 'fo und ro be esse nt ial fo:
sustainable use of biological resources.
Norms were laid down for access to gen eti c reso urces ,sr; .:1ecess co anJ
86
transfer of technology, t<:_chnical and scientifi c co-operation in suscajndble
8
use of biological diversicy, and handling of bio- cechn ology and disrri buuon
of its benefits. 88 Article 19(2) of the CBD reads: ·

Each contracting parties shall take all pracri caJ measu res ro romote and
advance priority access of a fair and equitable basis by concra~ting pdrtif5,
especiaHy developing countries, co the results and bene fiits an·li tng
· t-rorn
biotechnologies based upon genetic resources provi·ded b h
r r e con rraco·nati
parties. Such access shall be on mutually agreed rer ms.

82 United Nations Convenrion on Biological Oiversiry, ans 4_ _

9
83 Ibid, arr 2.
84 Ibid, art 10.
85 Un ited Nations Convention on Biological Oiversirv. an J ') A . J
terms and prior informed consent. Each co nt r~ccing p. C'C~sh,; i,; o n mutually ag~
M i v 'i Id .
administrative or pol icy measures. · ou fake legi.slaw·e.
•• • , . , r 'r-- L-"J ~ ,,..... ;n r l11 , ~P<: hi .n r,:,r
 the need for and modalities of a protocol On proce . d .
A]choug h di' d f < • • ures in the
f ransfer , han mg an use o living modifi ed . , .
organtsm resulrmg
1

fi !d o t safery regulations w be . .
,e b'10 technology were necess ary, ere to provid ed
frorn . . . .
d1ing such organi sms with available mform ation . •a1
00 potentt a verse
d
for han . 89
. act of such organisms.
t!lljhe provisi ons in the CB? relating to handJi ng of biotechnology and
haring of its benefi ts were pointe d out to be the .most controversial ones 90
Nthough CBD envisages sharin g and equj table access to genetic resour~es
from technologies based upon genetic resour ces, however, chis is to be
done 'on mutuall~ agreed terms' . Since there exists huge disparity between
rhe develop ed natto ns and th e developing nations, it is questionable whethe r
the mutuall y agreed terms ca n lead to a fa ir and equitable access. In the
negotiations, the strong will have their say and the weaker wiU agree to the
terms of the forme r.
There seems to be a greater da nge r fu rther hidde n in the CBD. The
Trade Related As pects of In cellecru al Property Rights (TRJ PS) advoca tes
fo r incell ec tu c1 l prope rty ri ghcs of indiv idua ls. Ir does not recogn ise
communi ty or coll ective knowledge or righrs. In the develop ing counrries,
on the other hand, the discoveries and innovations are mostly comm un ity
endeav ours. Almos t all biological reso urces are located in the countr ies
other th a n develo ped nati o ns. T he comm unity kn ow ledge of, and
consequent co mmun i ty ri ghts over bi od ive rsity resources are lac king in
1

the developed countries. As a result, it becom es extremely diffi cult under

CBD co protect biodiv ersity and traditional knowledge from rhe onslaught
of bio-piracy, unless there is a stringent regulation.

The Indian Legislation

BD an d has enacted the Biological .Divers iry Act
Ind1.a 1.s a party to th e C
2002 (BOA) . T he following are the thrust areas of the BOA.
. aJ resourc es and in fo rmation.
( 1) Access to b.to Iogic . 1 · al resources/creators and
f 610
•
(2) Benefilt sh anng ·th conserv e rs o ogJC
wi . c · elating co use of biological
holders of knowl edge and m1orm anon r
resources. from the stand point of biological
(3) Notifica tion of areas important .
. l . al heritage. sites.
diversity as b10 ogic
(4) Protection of threatened species.
 Environmental Law in India

(5) I n vo lve m e nt of local bo di es in su st ai na bl e~

. . . .
n
bi od iv er si ty an d th e pr agellle
ep ar at io n of b~od1vers1
ty registers. nt Qf
(6) Establ
ishment of biodi~ersity au
thonty,. state biodiversity boa
and biodiversity committee
s at block/v1llage level to
.
th e legis lan on . impleni~
ent
BDA incorporates these ide
as_ as ':e ll a~ br~adl! acce
the CB D . Th e de fin iti on pt~ th~ provisions of
of b1olog1cal d1vers1ty 1n
to the one in the CB D . It BDA 1s slightly differen
is defined as meanin? 'th
living organisms fr om all e variability amon:
sources an d th e ec ol og
they are pa rt' an d as in cl ic al complexes of wh1eh
ud in g 'diversity w ith in specie
an d of eco-systems' .91 Th s or between species
e te rm 'b io lo gi ca l re so
plants, animals an d m ic ur ce s' is defined to mean
ro -o rg an is m s, or pa rts
material an d by-product th er eo f, an d their genetic
s, w ith ac tu al or po te nt
include hu m an genetic m ia l use or value, but not
aterial. 92 Th is differs fr om to
'Bio-survey an d bio-utili th e C B D definition. 93
sation' means survey or
species, genes, co m po ne co lle ct io n of species, sub-
nt s an d ex tra ct s of bi ol
pu rp os e an d in cl ud es ch og ic al resources for any
ar ac te ris at io n, in ve nt or
O bt ai ni ng any biological is at io n an d bio-assay.94
resource for research, co
bio-survey or hi e- ut ili sa m m er ci al utilisation or
tio n w ith ou t pr ev io us
Biodiversity A ut ho rit y (N ap pr ov al of th e National
BA) is pr oh ib ite d. 95 T he
go against the transfer of pr oh ib iti on may also
any result of research w ith
resource for m on et ar y respect to any biologic~
co ns id er at io n. 96 H ow ev
projects will be exempted er , co lla bo ra tiv e research
subject to the overall polic
of t~ e ~entral_ G ov er nm 97 y guidelines an d approv~
en t. B O A pr ov id es fo
ap ph ca no n for intellectua r pr io r in tim at io n of
l property rights based on
of biological _reso~r~es,_ to research or info rmation
the ~B A . For ob ta in in g
for commercial ut1hsat1on an y biological resou rce
.. . . . . or b1 0- su rv ey an d bio ut il · ·
un hs an on pn or 1nt1mat1. r
on to the state bio-dive-rsi 1satton ror com merc ial
·ty b d • 8
oa r s 1s necessary·9
91 Biological Diversity
Act 2000, s 2(b).
92 Ibi d, s 2(c).
93 Th e Un ite d Na tio ns
, · Convention on Biologic
· al D iversity
Biologic al resources ' co me
· l d · 19 92 , art h
or any oth er b1•ou•c co mp
u e ge ne nc res ou rces, organism 2 de fines t e cer Jll
f ·
. on en t o eco -systems wi
th actual s, or pa rts th ereof po pu1au•ons
hu ma nit y.
po ten tial use of .v al ue ric0 r
Or .
94 Biological Diversity
Act 2000, s 2(d).
95 Ibid, s 3(1).
 -d iv er si ty b o ar d s and bio-
st a te bi~ 99
A , B D A p ro :,id es ~or o d ie s W it h o u t th e previo . us
~
o m m it te e s 1n loca
l b ·
13es1dsict}' ma n ag em en t c
y in te ll ec tu al p ro p er ty n·gh ts. 1
n
n shall a p p ly fo r a
Jjyerovai_1 o [N B A , n o p er so
t o n co n se rv at io n o f bio-diversity;'
en
pr dv is es th e C en tr a l G o v e rn m d · ab le sh ar in g o f benefits arising
ap · s c o m p o n e n ts a n eq u it
NBA. aable use o f it
f b . 1 . l u rc es .
2
It al so advises th e st at e
sustainf the u n.li. sa n. o n o 10 o g ic a .re so t o f bio-diversity
d h 1 on a n d m an ag em en
out o ment w.ith regar to t e se ect1 .
tu al p ro p er ty rights in
n r~ t o f in te ll ec
~"~ sites. 3 N ~ A can_ o p p o se the_ g e o b ta in ed from India,
heritage _ re so u rc
tr y ou ts id e_ In d 1 a o ? a n y b1ol~g1cal u rc e w h ic h is derived
any coun lo g ic al re so
o w le d fe as so ci at ed w1th su c h bio
or kn
from India. e in co n fo rm it y w ith the provisions
se re g u la to ry p ro v is io n s in B D A ar iv er sity M a n a g e m e n t
T he iv en to B io -d
th e C B D . T h e re sp o n si b il it ie s g n se rv at ion, sustainable us
e
0{ o ti n g co
m itte es in lo ca l b o d ie s fo r p ro m n ly indicate th e need
for
C om er si ty n o t o
o f biological div regime for
and d o cu m en ta ti o n ev o lu ti o n o f a vi ab le
s at th e gr as s ro ots, b u t also helps T h e p u rp o se o f these
awarenes l le ve l.
vi ng b io lo g ic al d iversity a t th e ru ra us e an d d o cu m en ta ti o n
preser , su st ai n ab le
m itte es is to 'p ro m o te conservation o f h ab it at s a n d cultivars,
com rv at io n
io lo g ic al d iv er si ty in c lu d in g p re se an d m ic ro -o rg an is m s a
nd
of b f an im al s
k s a n d b re ed s o 5
P ro te ct io n o f
domesticated st o c iolo g ic al d iv er si ty '.
cl in g o f k n o w le d g e re la ti n g to b fe ct iv e p ar ticipation o f all
chroni is an ef
di ve rs ity is p o ss ib le o n ly w h en there p ro v ed m o n it o ri n g a n d
bio- t a n d im
s in th e lo c a li ty co n si st en n m en t.
6
It can never
stakeholder d ex te rn al en v ir o
an g in g internal an increasing threat
adaptation to th e ch na ce a, to fa ce th e
in -s aid th a t th o u g h it is n o t the pa rl d a c o ~ m u n it y -b a se d
be ga th ~ w o
e d e p le ti n g b io -d iv e rs it y a ro u n d co u p le d w1th gram sabhas
o f th l co m m it te e
al. T h e B D A loca
approach, is essenti
·
si ty A ct 20 00 , ss 8- 35 an d ss 41 -4 7. ou ts ide I~dia for th e in
~enrion
Biolo gi ca l D iv er r be th e na m e in or
99 no t m at te r w ha te ve om India.
Ibid, 5 6(1). It do es on a bi ol og ic al re source ob ta m ed fr
I · f;orm at io n
y re se ar c h or m
base d on an
Ibid, s 18 (3 )( a) . .
2
gi ca l D iv er si ty A ct 20 00 , s 18(3)(6) · f I h at h as
3 Biolo
,cu1 nv. ar, as mearu·ng a vanery o ph an t t
4 Ibid , s 18 (4) . . B O A defines ec 1 'fi1call y b red fcor t e p urpose of
. n or w as sp d an ged
5 lb1d., s 41 ex pl an au.on .d de r cultivatio · of pIan t d eveJoped , grown an · exch c
. un
d pers.1ste, means a cultivated va ne ty · ar grown y an cient rarmers
b
on gm at.ed an, • · · e cuInv
1v
. pnm1t
cu lt1vat1on ' folk vacne
ty 'L an d race' means
.
in fo rm al ly am on g
1armers.
· n' , Econom1c · an d Po1·m·eal W eekly,
d C onservatto .
cc es so rs . m un ity -b as e ad ha v G ad g 11,
an d th ei r su 'W ' h er C om 53 18 , 53 19 ; M
n K um ar , It
r- 5 Ja nu ar y 20 07 , P 53 13 , PP a' ; E co no m ic an d
6 C he ta -~ '2 (\ ne ce
m be rhe Sc ience Agend
- - - = - - - -- -- - --- - -- - - -
Environmental La w in Ind ia

now em po we red un de r the Fo res

. t Ri gh ts Ac t ca n lea~
preservatto . . I d'
n of b1olog1ca 1vers1ty. . o an eft .
There are many committees an d au ect11.,t
tho rit ies in the Centre a d .
already co ns tit ute d or de sig na ted by
rul es fra me d un de r th ; E~n sta1~.
responsibilities and functions of the
NB A an d Sta te Biodiversity~ 1he
have to be demarcated. Th is is impe
rative so tha t the y do not clash oa~~
the functions of the co mm itte es an
d au tho rit ies un de r the EPA andWttn
rules framed thereunder, especially
wi th those of the committees establis~~:
under the Hazardous Micro-organis
ms Rules 1989.