Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
azadi ka amrit mahotsav

Biological Diversity Act, 2002

Posted On: 04 DEC 2023 3:19PM by PIB Delhi

Biodiversity Heritage Site is a unique conservation approach recognised under the Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Biodiversity Heritage Sites have rich biodiversity with wild as well as domesticated species; high endemism; rare and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domesticated/ cultivated species; fossil beds; cultural, ethical or aesthetic values for maintaining cultural diversity, with or without long human association with them.

As per Section 37 (1) of the Biological Diversity Act,2002 the State Government may, from time to time in consultation with the local bodies, notify in the Official Gazette, of 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.

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.

Besidesabove, under section 39(1) (iv) of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPVFR) Act, 2001, the PPVFR Authority annually confers awards, rewards, and recognitions to farmers (s)/farming communities who are involved in the conservation of Plant Genetic Resources.

The Plant Genome Saviour Community award is awarded to five farming communities and each award amounts to Rs. 10.00 lakhs along with a citation.The Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward is awarded to ten farmers and each reward amountsto Rs. 1.50 lakhs. The Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition is awarded to twenty farmers with Rs. 1.00 lakh each.

So far, 41 Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards, 67 Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Rewards, and 84 Plant Genome Saviour Farmer recognition were conferred.

Annexure

S. No.

Name of Biodiversity Heritage Site

Area (ha)

District& State
  1.  

Majuli River Island

 

87500

 

Majuli, Assam

 
  1.  

Borjuli Wild Rice Site

 

0.41

 

Sonitpur, Assam

 
  1.  

Hajong Tortoise Lake

526.78

Dima Hasao, Assam

 
  1.  

Purvatali Rai

 

0.73

 

North Goa, Goa

 
  1.  

Sacred Grove at Sural Bhatori Monastery

0.6

 

Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

 
  1.  

High Altitude Meadow, HudanBhatori

8.74

Chamba, Himachal Pradesh
  1.  

Birch-pine Forest Patch, Nain Gahar

 

12.22

 

Lahaul&Spiti, Himachal Pradesh
  1.  

Nallur tamarind groves

 

21.85

 

Bengaluru, Karnataka

 
  1.  

Hogrekan

 

1015

Chikmagalur, Karnataka
  1.  

University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus

167

 

Bengaluru, Karnataka

 
  1.  

Ambaragudda

 

3857.17

 

Shimoga, Karnataka

 
  1.  

Asramam

 

57.33

 

Kollam, Karnataka

 
  1.  

Naro Hills

 

200

 

Satna, Madhya Pradesh
  1.  

Patalkot

8367.49

 

Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh
  1.  

Amarkantak

7681.5

 

Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh
  1.  

Glory of Allapallii

6

 

Gadchiroli
  1.  

BambardeMyristica Swamps

 

2.59

 

Dodamarg, Maharastra

 
  1.  

Ganeshkhind Garden

 

33.01

 

Pune, Maharastra

 
  1.  

Landorkhori

 

8.08

 

Jalgaon, Maharastra

 
  1.  

Schisturahiranyakeshi

2.11

 

Sindhudurg, Maharastra
  1.  

Dialong Village

1135

Tamenglong, Manipur
  1.  

Khlaw Kur SyiemKmielng

16.05

Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya
  1.  

Mandasaru

528

Kandhamalc
  1.  

Mahendragiri

4250

GajapatiMaharastra
  1.  

Gandhamardan Hill

18964

Bolangir and BargarhMaharastra
  1.  

TungkyongDho

0.0650

North Sikkim, Sikkim
  1.  

Arittapatti

193.215

Madurai, Tamil Nadu
  1.  

Ameenpur Lake

 

229.05

 

Sangareddy, Telangana
  1.  

Gharial Rehabilitation Centre

 

10

 

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
  1.  

Baramura waterfall

150

Khowai, Tripura

 
  1.  

Unakoti

40

Unakoti, Tripura

 
  1.  

Silachari Caves

100

Gomati, Tripura

 
  1.  

Debbari or Chabimura

 

215

 

Gomati, Tripura
  1.  

Betlingshib and its surroundings Tonglu

350

 

North district, Tripura

 
  1.  

Tonglu

230

Darjeeling, West Bengal
  1.  

Dhotrey

180

Darjeeling, West Bengal
  1.  

Chilkigarh KanakDurga

 

22.62

 

Jhargram, West Bengal

 
  1.  

State Horticulture Research and Development Station

39.61

 

Nadia, West Bengal

 
  1.  

Char Balidanga

 

46.862

 

Nadia, West Bengal

 
  1.  

Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park

 

10 0.667

 

Birbhum, West Bengal

 
  1.  

Baneswar Shiva Dighi

 

0.667

Coochbehar. West Bengal
  1.  

NamthingPokhari

 

4.819

 

Darjeeling, West Bengal
  1.  

Birampur-BaguranJalpai

95.91

PurbaMedinipur, West Bengal
  1.  

Haldir Char Island

4.73

PurbaMedinipur, West Bengal

 

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

*****

MJPS/NSK



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