Lok Sabha Question No. 2895 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: Biological Diversity Act
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramesh Chander Kaushik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2895

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2023

## Biological Diversity Act

## 2895.   SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants and animals are increasing in a big way;
- (b) the steps proposes to be taken by the Government to address this issue;
- (c) the details of Biodiversity Heritage Sites that have been notified as per Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002;
- (d) the details of the sites which are notified because of the rich wealth of agro-diversity contained therein;
- (e) the details of the plan proposed by the Government for selecting and notifying more sites to protect India's rich heritage of agro-diversity; and
- (f) whether  the  Government  has  any  schemes  to  support  farmers  who  are  into  seed conservation work and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (e) The Government of India has taken several steps for conservation of biodiversity which includes survey, inventorization,  taxonomic validation and threat assessment of floral and faunal resources; assessment to  develop an accurate database for planning and monitoring as well as conservation and protection of forests; establishment of a protected area network of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries,  conservation  and  community  reserves;  designating  Biosphere Reserves for conservation of representative ecosystems; undertaking of species oriented programmes, such as Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Project Dolphin; complemented with ex-situ conservation efforts.

A  total  of  1,02,718  species  of  fauna  and  54,733  species  of  flora  have  been documented  in  the  10  biogeographic  zones  of  the  country.  For  ensuring protection  of  flora  and  fauna  within  protected  areas,  management  plans  are prepared  by  State  Forest  Departments  which  inter  alia  include  a  schedule  of activities to be take-up over a period of ten years. The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 provides for diligence to be taken before approval of any activity is accorded by the State Government within a protected area to ensure conservation and protection of biodiversity.

may,  from  time  to  time  in  consultation  with  the  local  bodies,  notify  in  the Official Gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.

So far forty four (44) Biodiversity Heritage Sites have been notified by sixteen (16) states. The details of these sites are at ANNEXURE .

- (f) The Government of India is creating awareness on conservation of plant genetic resources  including  seeds  of  farmers'  varieties  and  landraces  through  the schemes like Tribal Sub-Plan, North-Eastern Hill Region and Scheduled Caste Sub Plan. A total of 233 most potential varieties of different crops identified by farmers  are  being  conserved  through  on-farm  cultivation,  value  chain  and marketing involving Self Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organizations (in seven states including Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Chhattisgarh)  by  National  Bureau  of  Plant Genetic Resources - Indian Council for Agricultural Research, New Delhi.

***

## ANNEXURE

|   Sl. No. | Name of Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS)         | Location                    |   Area (Ha) | Date of Notification   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------|------------------------|
|         1 | Nallur Tamarind Grove                            | Bengaluru, Karnataka        |      21.85  | 20.07.2007             |
|         2 | Hogrekan                                         | Chikmagluru, Karnataka      |    1015     | 30.04.2010             |
|         3 | University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus | Bengaluru, Karnataka        |     167     | 02.09.2010             |
|         4 | Ambaraguda                                       | Shimoga, Karnataka          |    3857.17  | 18.11.2011             |
|         5 | Glory of Allapalli                               | Gadchiroli, Maharashtra     |       6     | 15.07.2014             |
|         6 | Tonglu BHS                                       | Darjeeling, West Bengal     |     230     | 20.03.2015             |
|         7 | Dhotrey BHS                                      | Darjeeling, West Bengal     |     180     | 20.03.2015             |
|         8 | Ghariyal Rehabilitation Centre                   | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh      |      10     | 11.08.2016             |
|         8 | Ameenpur lake                                    | Sangareddy, Telangana       |     229.05  | 21.11.2016             |
|        10 | Majuli                                           | Majuli, Assam               |   87500     | 29.03.2017             |
|        11 | Dialong Village                                  | Tamenglong, Manipur         |    1135     | 23.05.2017             |
|        12 | Chilkigarh Kanak Durga                           | Jhargram, West Bengal       |      22.62  | 21.05.2018             |
|        13 | Khlaw Kur Syiem Kmielng                          | Ri Bhoi, Meghalaya          |      16.05  | 13.12.2018             |
|        14 | Mandasaru                                        | Kandhamal, Odisha           |     528     | 12.03.2019             |
|        15 | Asramam                                          | Kollam, Kerala              |      57.33  | 19.06.2019             |
|        16 | Naro Hills                                       | Satna, Madhya Pradesh       |     200     | 31.10.2019             |
|        17 | Patalkot                                         | Chhindwara, Madya Pradesh   |    8367.49  | 31.10.2019             |
|        18 | Purvatali Rai                                    | North Goa, Goa              |       0.73  | 21.12.2019             |
|        19 | Baneswar Shiva Dighi                             | Cooch Behar-II, West Bengal |       0.667 | 14.08.2020             |
|        20 | Ganeshkhind Garden                               | Pune, Maharashtra           |      33.01  | 31.08.2020             |
|        21 | Landorkhori                                      | Jalgaon, Maharshtra         |      48.08  | 31.08.2020             |
|        22 | Bambarde Myristica Swamps                        | Dodamarg, Maharashtra       |       2.59  | 28.01.2021             |
|        23 | Schistura Hiranyakeshi                           | Sindhudurg, Maharshtra      |       2.11  | 31.03.2021             |
|        24 | Amarkantak                                       | Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh     |    7681.5   | 22.07.2022             |
|        25 | Borjuli Wild Rice Site                           | Sonitpur, Assam             |       0.41  | 10.08.2022             |
|        26 | Hajong Tortoise Lake                             | Dima Hasao, Assam           |     526.78  | 10.08.2022             |
|        27 | Birch Pine Forest Patch at                       | Lahaul& Spiti,              |      12.22  | 18.08.2022             |

| Sl. No.   | Name of Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS)            | Location                     | Area (Ha)   | Date of Notification   |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|-------------|------------------------|
|           | Nain Gahar                                          | Himachal Pradesh             |             |                        |
| 28.       | High Altitude Meadow at Hudan Bhatori               | Chamba, Himachal Pradesh     | 8.74        | 18.08.2022             |
| 29.       | Sacred Grove at Sural Bhatori Monastery             | Chamba, Himachal Pradesh     | 0.60        | 18.08.2022             |
| 30.       | Baramura waterfall                                  | Khowai, Tripura              | 150         | 12.09.2022             |
| 31.       | Betlingshib and its surroundings                    | North District, Tripura      | 350         | 12.09.2022             |
| 32.       | Debbari or Chabimura                                | Gomati, Tripura              | 215         | 12.09.2022             |
| 33.       | Silachari Caves                                     | Gomati, Tripura              | 100         | 12.09.2022             |
| 34.       | Unakoti                                             | Unakoti, Tripura             | 40          | 12.09.2022             |
| 35.       | Arittapatti                                         | Madurai, Tamil Nadu          | 193.215     | 22.11.2022             |
| 36.       | Mahendragiri Hill                                   | Gajapati, Odisha             | 4250        | 25.11.2022             |
| 37.       | Amkhoi wood fossil park                             | Birbhum, West Bengal         | 10          | 17.03.2023             |
| 38.       | Char Balidanga                                      | Nadia, West Bengal           | 46.862      | 17.03.2023             |
| 39.       | Namthing Pokhari                                    | Darjeeling, West Bengal      | 4.819       | 17.03.2023             |
| 40.       | State Horticulture Research and Development Station | Nadia, West Bengal           | 39.61       | 17.03.2023             |
| 41.       | Gandhamardan Hill                                   | Bolangir& Bargarh, Odisha    | 18963.898   | 20.03.2023             |
| 42.       | Birampur- Baguran Jalpai                            | Purba Medinipur, West Bengal | 95.91       | 16.05.2023             |
| 43.       | Haldir Char Island                                  | Purba Medinipur, West Bengal | 4.73        | 16.05.2023             |
| 44.       | Tungkyong Dho                                       | North Sikkim, Sikkim         | 0.0650      | 02.06.2023             |