Arunachal: Shergaon Biodiversity Management Committee, has be awarded the Best BMC in India
SHERGAON- Shergaon Biodiversity Management Committee, has be awarded the Best Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) in India for the 5th edition of India Biodiversity Awards, by National Biodiversity Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt of India on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity(IDB) 2021 under the same category.
Shergaon BMC is first ever from the state of Arunachal Pradesh to be awarded in this category. The award ceremony was conducted in virtual mode this time.
The India Biodiversity Awards is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, National Biodiversity Authority and the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP). It is an innovative mechanism to identify and recognize the efforts of individuals, communities and institution working towards biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of biological resources, access and benefit sharing and biodiversity governance. The winners of India Biodiversity Awards carries a Memento, a Certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs each for individuals and Rs. 5 lakhs each for institutions.
The award is given in five categories
Category I: Conservation of Wild Species
Category II: Conservation of Domesticated Species: Institution and Individual
Category III: Best Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC)
Category IV: Sustainable Use of Biological Resources: Institution and Individual
Category V: Replicable Mechanisms for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
The Best Biodiversity Management Committee Award aspires to appreciate Biodiversity Management Committees for the exemplary work in documentation of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge; generating awareness; establishing best practices in biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, social and gender equity and empowerment and equitable sharing of benefits.
Shergaon BMC was established on 15th March 2016 in consultation with Senji Blu- Shergaon Village Council. The committee comprises of 5 Male members, 2 women members and Mr D K Monoji, Range Forest Officer as a Secretary, Shergaon Forest Division, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh has 164 BMCs constituted in the state.
Mr. Pem Norbu Thungon Chairman, Shergaon BMC dedicated the award to the ancestors for preserving the forest and all the villagers of Shergaon. He also thanked the Shergaon Village Council for consistent support to the BMC activities. He said he is very happy for the award and would like to thank Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, Itanagar, DFO and team of Shergaon Forest Division for their dedicated involvement.
Shri Rinchong Lama, Chairman Shergaon Village Council Congratulated the BMC team for being awarded the Best BMC in India. Head Gaon Bura (GB) Shri D.K. Lama while congratulating the team BMC said that he is so happy to see the efforts of Villagers being recognized at National Level and hoped that BMC will carry forward the good work in future too.
The BMC Shergaon has worked on documentation of endemic flora and fauna of the Village forest. Some of the prominent plants species like Paris polyphylla, Taxus baccata, Swertia chirayita, Rubia cordifolia, Valeneria jatamansi, Quercus sps, Artemesia vulgaris, Rhododendron species and faunas like red panda, flying squirrels, civets, yellow throated morten, Himalayan Asiatic black bear, barking deer etc have been documented.
The BMC shergaon has made it compulsory for all the researchers to take prio permission from Shergaon Village Council and BMC for all their activities under their jurisdiction to avoid misuse of biodiversity knowledge of the area. BMC Shergaon along with Local NGO Garung Thuk has initiated ethno medicinal plant garden, in-situ Rhododendron garden, school nature club, training of nature guide, fish conversation in wild by adopting river etc.
