The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, is likely to be tabled at the monsoon session of the Parliament. The bill is ready after a Joint Committee of Parliament submitted its report on the proposed amendments.

The report of the JPC was first tabled in Parliament on August 2, 2022. The bill suggests several amendments to the Biological Diversity Act of 2002.

The monsoon session of the Parliament will begin on July 20 and end on August 15. The government is expected to table many important bills to be passed during this session, including the contentious Data Protection Bill.

What is the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021?

The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 16, 2021. The Bill amends the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 with an aim to simplify compliance requirements for domestic companies and the AYUSH industry under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

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The draft legislation suggests several amendments to the Biological Diversity Act of 2002, which outlines provisions for the conservation of biodiversity and sharing of benefits from access to biodiversity and associated knowledge with local communities.

Concerns raised over the Bill

The bill aims to address the concerns of traditional Indian medicine practitioners, the seed industry and research organisations over the compliance burden in the Biological Diversity Act of 2002.

The act was brought into effect to conserve biological diversity and ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits among local communities.

The new bill exempts registered AYUSH practitioners and people accessing codified traditional knowledge, from sharing benefits with local communities or giving prior intimation to state biodiversity boards before accessing biological resources.

Further, it removes research and bio-survey activities from the purview of benefit-sharing requirements.

The bill also decriminalises offences outlined under the Biodiversity Act.

The proposed amendments have raised serious concerns among activists, environmentalists and health experts. The critics of the bill are of the opinion that the bill attempts to make exemptions to promote trade and not conserve biodiversity, defying the sole purpose of the Biodiversity Act.

“The amendment seems to be done with the sole intention of providing benefit to the AYUSH industry. The main focus of the bill is to facilitate the trade in biodiversity as opposed to conservation, protection of biodiversity and knowledge of the local communities,” environment lawyer Ritwick Dutta was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Suggestions by the committee

The parliamentary panel recommended reducing pressure on wild medicinal plants by encouraging the cultivation of medicinal plants.

Further, it suggested clearly defining “codified traditional knowledge,” since most of the traditional knowledge in the AYUSH system of medicine is codified.

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As per the bill, a foreign company incorporated in India will require approval from National Biodiversity Authority for specified activities. Thus, the committee recommended that such companies should be defined as per the Companies Act.

The bill removes reference to the promotion of biological resources in certain cases for which the committee advised to retain all provisions for the promotion of biological resources, according to PRS India.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)

First Published:Jul 12, 2023 12:19 PM IST