The Shergaon Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) of Arunachal Pradesh has won the best ‘BMC’ award in the India Biodiversity Awards(IBA) 2021. The 5th edition of the IBA was held virtually on May 22, 2021, and the awards were given by the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEFCC), Babul Supriyo.
- Shergaon BMC is the first one in Arunachal Pradesh to receive the award.
- The award programme marked the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2021.
- The IBA is a joint initiative by MoEFCC, National Biodiversity Authority, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- Note – The winners of the IBA carry a Memento, a Certificate and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs each for individuals and Rs 5 lakhs each for institutions.
Awards under different categories:
| Award Category | Awardee |
|---|---|
| Best Biodiversity Management Committee | Shergaon BMC, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Conservation of Domesticated Species( individual) | Shaji .N.M., farmer, Kerala (fondly called as ‘Tuber Man’) |
| Conservation of Domesticated Species( institute) | Amrabad Poda Lakmi Govu Sangam, Telangana |
| Sustainable use of Biological Resources(Individual) | S Sathish, The forest range officer, Ramanathapuram subdivision of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park |
| Sustainable use of Biological Resources(Institution) | Khonoma Nature Conservation & Tragopan Sanctuary (KNCTS), Nagaland |
| Conservation of Wild Species (Individual) | Shiv Kumar, Himachal Pradesh |
| Conservation of Wild Species (Institute) | Chongnga Foundation, Manipur |
| Replicable Mechanisms for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) | Twichin Gram Bari BMC, Tripura & Valagro Bioscience Ltd, Telangana |
Key points:
i.Shergaon BMC: It have documented Plant species like Paris polyphylla, Taxus baccata, Swertia chirayita, Rubia cordifolia, and faunas viz, red panda, flying squirrels, civets, Himalayan Asiatic black bear. It was established on 15th March 2016.
ii.Shaji.N.M.: He has conserved an array of around 200 tuber crops including greater yam, lesser yam, elephant foot yam, arrowroot, colocasia, sweet potato, cassava and Chinese potato on his farm. He received State awards seven times and received the Plant Genome Savior Reward 2015, instituted by Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Authority, New Delhi.
iii.S Sathish: He was awarded for his remarkable work in ‘Kaarankadu Community based Ecotourism’.
iii. Khonoma, Nagaland was the 1st green village of India, it is situated near the Indo-Myanmar border, KNCTS is established in 1998.
Recent Related News:
On 31st March, 2021 the State Government of Maharashtra declared Amboli region in Western Ghats in Sindhudurg district as a Biodiversity Heritage Site. This comes at the backdrop of the discovery of a rare colourful freshwater fish species “Schistura Hiranyakeshi” in the region.
About National Biodiversity Authority:
Establishment – 2003 by Government to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002)
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Chairman – V. B. Mathur
