MIZORAM STATE BIODIVERSITY BOARD

Biodiversity or Biological diversity describes the variety or diversity of all living beings on Earth. Specifically, biodiversity means the variability among all living organisms from all kinds of life including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems which includes diversity within the species, between species and of ecosystems (CBD, 1992). Biodiversity is the primary element for the sustainable life on Earth. It provides all the basic needs of human life.

India is one of the 17 mega-diverse countries in the world, having only 2.4% of the world’s total land area, but harbouring 9.13% of the flora and 6.7% of the fauna of the world. North East India is one of the biodiversity richest regions in India, and also lies in Indo-Burma Region, which is one of the four biodiversity hotspot in India.

Mizoram is situated in the North-Eastern region of India along with its sister state viz., Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya. It has an international boundary with Myanmar in the eastern part and Bangladesh in the western part. Besides, it is bounded with the neighboring states viz., Assam, Manipur and Tripura. Mizoram is endowed with dense forests and diverse species of the flora and fauna. It has also a rich diversity of medicinal plants having high value for the treatment of various illnesses.

In 1992, during the Earth Summit held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Convention on Biological Diversity was held and 196 countries around the world were parties to it and India also became party to this convention. The three main objectives of this convention are Conservation of Biological diversity, Sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. In order to implement these objectives, the Government of India enacted The Biological Diversity Act 2002 and The Biological Diversity Rules 2004. The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003 to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002). The NBA is a Statutory, Autonomous Body and it performs facilitative, regulatory and advisory function for the Government of India on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.

In order to implement the Biodiversity Act 2002 (No 18 of 2003), Mizoram State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) was constituted on 17^th January 2006. State Biodiversity Board Mizoram has the Environment Forests and Climate Change Minister, Government of Mizoram as its Chairman but Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Mizoram is taking charge as Chairman of the Board (since March 2017). State Biodiversity Board Mizoram has the Environment Forests and Climate Change Minister, Government of Mizoram as its Chairman but Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Mizoram is taking charge as Chairman of the Board (since March 2017).              Chief Wildlife Warden, Environment Forests & Climate Change Department is the Member Secretary of the State Biodiversity Board.

Mizoram State Biodiversity Board was re-constituted on 26^th Feb. 2009 with 5 ex-officio members and 5 expert members. The current State Biodiversity Board Mizoram was again reconstituted with Gazette Notification No.B.11015/19/ 2007-FST dated 9th May 2016 and the list is as follows: 

Ø  Ex Officio Members of Mizoram Biodiversity Board-

        i.            Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, EF&CC Deptt, Govt. of Mizoram

      ii.            Director, Agriculture Department, Govt. of Mizoram

    iii.            Director, Horticulture Department, Govt. of Mizoram

    iv.            Director, AH&Vety Department, Govt. of Mizoram

      v.            Director, Tourism Department, Govt. of Mizoram

Ø  - State Biodiversity Board Mizoram is having 5 Expert Members :-

        i.            Prof.Lalnuntluanga, Deptt of Environmental Science, School of Earth Science & Resource Management, Mizoram University

      ii.            Prof.Lalnundanga, Deptt of Forestry, Mizoram University

    iii.            Dr. H.T. Lalremsanga, Asst. Professor, Deptt of Zoology, Mizoram University

    iv.            Dr. Lalfakzuala, Asst. Professor, Deptt of Botany, Mizoram University

      v.            Dr. Lalramliana, Asst. Professor, Deptt of Zoology, Pachhunga University College

The main functions of the Board are:

a)      Advice the State Government, subject to any guidelines issued by the Central Government, on matters relating to the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of all benefits arising out of the utilization of biological resources;

b)      Regulating by granting of approvals on otherwise requests for commercial utilizations on bio-survey and bio-utilization of any biological resources of the state;

c)      Perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act or as may be prescribed by the state Government, and

d)      Prepare in such form and in such time in each financial year as may be prescribed, its annual report, giving full account of its activities during the previous year and submit a copy thereof to the State Government.

Ø  The Government of Mizoram enacted The Mizoram State Biological Diversity Rules, 2010 in exercise of its powers under section 63 (i) of the Biological Diversity Act 2002 for bringing out the purpose of this Act in the state. This rule extends to the whole of Mizoram except the Autonomous District Council areas. These rules shall come into force on such date as the State Government made by a notification No.B. 11015/26/2010 – FST in the Official Gazette of Govt. of Mizoram.

Ø  International Day of Biological Diversity is celebrated every year on 22^nd May with an appropriate theme. Besides celebrating International Biodiversity day, Mizoram Biodiversity Board had organized various activities like workshop on biodiversity, painting competition, quiz competition to create awareness for the conservation of biodiversity in the state.

Activities/Achievements of Mizoram State Biodiversity Board

Ø  Under section 41 of the Biological Diversity Act 2002 and Rule 23 of The Mizoram State Biological Diversity Rules, 2010, State Biodiversity Board Mizoram have constituted 222 Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) through village level local bodies in 222 villages. BMC Sailam village was formed on 7^th Dec 2017 and recently, Under Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission (SPMRM), a total of 11 (eleven) BMC’s was formed in Aibawk RuRBAN Cluster villages, which is under Aizawl Forest Division.              Under GEF 6 Project “Green Agriculture Transforming Indian Agriculture for Global Benefit and Conservation of Critical Biodiversity and Landscape”, in addition to the existing BMC’s under Thorang Wildlife Sanctuary, 8 (Eight) new BMCs were formed, and another 8 (Eight) BMC’s was also formed under Dampa Wildlife division. Therefore, a total of 250 Biodiversity Management Committee was formed under State Biodiversity Board Mizoram.

Ø  The State Biodiversity Board Mizoram have documented and published 5 PBR (People’s Biodiversity Register) viz., Pamchung (2012), Thenhlum (2012), Pangzawl (2015), Laki (2016) and Mizoram, University, Tanhril (2017).

Ø  Eight (8) Technical Support Group (TSG) was constituted for 8 districts of the State of Mizoram for the purpose of imparting guidance and technical support to the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) established within their respective districts.

Ø  Mizoram State Biodiversity Board published ‘Souvenir of Mizoram Biodiversity’ in 2011 containing articles on conservation and importance of Biological diversity by distinguished and reputed authors. 

Ø  In exercise of the power conferred by Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act 2002, the Central Government through the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change in consultation with the Government of Mizoram, vide notification NO. 1600 dated October 5, 2009 in The Gazette of India, Extraordinary, has notified the following species of plants and animals published by Mizoram State Biodiversity Board in ‘Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plant and Animal Species of Mizoram’, which are either extinct or are on the verge of extinction from the state. The collection of these species shall be prohibited, except with the approval of the Mizoram State Biodiversity Board only for the following purposes:

Ø  Scientific Research

Ø  Herbarium and Museum of scientific and academic institutions

Ø  Propagation

Ø  Any other scientific investigation

Plant Species: Jasminum wengeri (Jasmine)

Mantisia wengeri (Dancing girl)

Paphiopedilum spicerianum (Lady’s slipper)

Paphiopedilum villosum (Lady’s slipper)

Aquilaria malaccensis (Agarwood)

Hydnocarpus kurzii (Chaulmoogra)

Dalbergia pinnata var acaciifolia and

Cinnamomum aromatica (Cassia or Chinese cinnamon)

Animal Species: Rhinoceros sondaicus (Javan Rhinoceros)

                        Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Sumatran Rhinoceros)

                        Felis marmorata (Marbled Cat)

                        Pardofelis temminckii (Asiatic Golden Cat or Temminck’s Golden Cat)

                        Arctictis binturong (Binturong or Asian or Palawan Bearcat)

                        Prionodon pardicolor (Spotted Linsang)

                        Mustela kathiah (Yellow-bellied weasel)

                        Ursus malayanus (Sun bear)