Biological Diversity Act (2002) as amendment was done by Parliament in 2023

Amended BDA Act

1. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ACT
(2002)
(Amendment-2023)
By-Rajesh Mandavliya

2. Biological Diversity Act (2002)
The main objectives of the act are mentioned in the
preamble of the Act. They are:
1.Conservation of Biological Diversity.
2.Sustainable use of it’s components.
3.Fair and equitable benefit sharing.

3. History-
IndiaisapartytotheUnitedNationsConventionon
BiologicalDiversitysignedatRiodeJaneiroon05/06/1992.
Thisconventionreaffirmsthesovereignrightsofthestates
overtheirbiologicalresources.
TheActhasgivenrighttothelocalcommunitytoget
benefitsharingoutofcommercialutilizationofbiological
resourcesoccurringintheirarea.Theycanhelpin
conservingbiodiversityandgetmonetarygainsfortheir
socioeconomicdevelopment.

4. Chapter -I
1.Short tile, extent and commencement.
2.Definitions.
(b)Biologicaldiversitymeansthevariabilityamong
thelivingorganismsfromallsourcesandthe
ecologicalcomplexesofwhichtheyarepartand
includesdiversitywithinspeciesorbetweenspecies
andofecosystems.

5. (c)Biologicalresourcesmeansplants,animalsand
microorganismsorpartsthereofortheirgeneticmaterial
andby-products(excludingvalueaddedproducts)with
actualorpotentialuseorvalue,butdoesnotinclude
humangeneticmaterial.
(d)Bio-surveyandbio-utilizationmeanssurvey
orcollectionofspecies,subspecies,genes,components
andextractsofbiologicalresourceforanypurposeand
includescharacterization,inventorisationandbioassay.

6. (f)Commercialutilizationmeansendusesof
biologicalresourcesforcommercialutilizationsuchas
drugs,industrialenzymes,foodflavors,fragrance,
cosmetics,emulsifiers,oleoresins,colors,extractsand
genesusedforimprovingcropsandlivestockthrough
geneticintervention,butdoesnotincludeconventional
breedingortraditionalpracticesinuseinany
agriculture,horticulture,poultry,dairyfarming,animal
husbandryorbeekeeping.
(g)Fairandequitablesharingmeans
sharingofbenefitsasdeterminedbytheNational
BiodiversityAuthorityundersection21.

7. Chapter -II
RegulationofAccesstoBiologicaldiversity.
Section3:CertainpersonsnottoundertakeBiodiversity
relatedactivitieswithoutapprovalofNBA.
(1)-BiologicalresourceoccurringinIndiaor
knowledgeassociatedtheretoforresearchorfor
commercialutilizationorforbio-surveyorbio-utilization.

8. (2)a)A person who is not a citizen of India.
b)AcitizenofIndiawhoisanonresidentasdefinedinclause
(30)ofsection2oftheIncomeTaxAct1961(43of1961).
c) A body corporate, association or
organization.
(i)Not incorporated or registered in India.
(ii) Incorporated or registered in India under
any law for the time being in force which has any non
Indian participation in its share capital or
management.

9. Section4:Resultofresearchnottobetransferredto
certainpersonswithoutapprovalofNBA.
-Nopersonshallwithoutthepreviousapprovalofthe
NBAtransfertheresultsofanyresearchrelatingtoany
biologicalresourcesoccurringinorobtainedfromIndiafor
monetaryconsiderationorotherwisetoanypersonwhois
notacitizenofIndiaorcitizenofIndiawhoisnotresident
ofIndiaorabodycorporateororganizationwhichisnot
registeredorincorporatedinIndiaorwhichhasanynon-
Indianparticipationinit’ssharecapitalormanagement.

10. Section 6: Application for intellectual property rights not
to be made without approval of NBA
(2)NBA can impose benefit sharing fee or royalty or both
or impose conditions including the sharing of financial
benefits arising out of the commercial utilization of such
rights.

11. Section7:PriorintimationtostateBiodiversityboardfor
obtainingbiologicalresourceforcertainpurposes.
-Noperson,whoisacitizenofIndiaorabodycorporate,
associationororganizationwhichisregisteredinIndiashall
obtainanybiologicalresourceforcommercialutilizationorbio-
surveyandbio-utilizationforcommercialutilizationexceptafter
givingpriorintimationtotheSBBconcerned.
-Howeverthiswillnotapplytolocalpeopleandcommunities
oftheareaincludinggrowersandcultivatorsofbio-diversity
andvaidsandhakimswhohavebeenpracticingindigenous
medicine.

12. Chapter -III
National Biodiversity Authority:
8. Establishment of NBA.
-Central Government.
-Headquarters at Chennai.
Composition : (i)Chair person
(ii) 3 –ex officio members
(iii) 7 –ex officio members
(iv) 5 –non official members

13. Chapter -IV
Function and powers of NBA.
18.
(1)Regulateactivitiesreferredinsections3,4and6
andissueguidelinesforaccesstobiologicalresources
andforfairandequitablebenefitsharing.
(2)Maygrantapprovalforundertakinganyactivity
referredtoinsections3,4and6.

14. (3)TheNBAmayadvisethe
(a)theCentralGovernmentonmattersrelatingtothe
conservationofbiodiversity,sustainableuseofit’s
componentsandequitablesharingofbenefitsarisingout
oftheutilizationofbiologicalresources.
(b)AdviseStateGovernmentsintheselectionofareasof
biodiversityimportancetobenotifiedasheritagesites
undersection37(i)andmeasuresformanagementofsuch
heritagesites.

15. (4)TheNBAonbehalfofCentralGovernmentmaytake
anymeasurestoopposethegrantofintellectualproperty
rightsinanycountryoutsideIndiaonanybiological
resourceobtainedfromIndiaorknowledgeassociatedwith
suchbiologicalresourcewhichisderivedfromIndia.

16. Section 21: Determination of equitable benefit sharing
by the NBA.
-Whilegrantingapprovalsdecidetermsand
equitablesharingofbenefitsbetweenthepersonapplying
andthelocalbodiesconcernedandbenefitclaimers.
-DeterminethebenefitsharingincaseofgrantofJoint
technology,locationofproduction,researchand
biologicalresources,settingupofventurecapitalfundfor
causeofbenefitclaimers,payment ofmonetary
monetarybenefitstothebenefitclaimersastheNBAmay

17. State Biodiversity Board
Section 22: Establishment of SBB
-State Government
-Chairperson –1
-5 ex officio members
-5 expert members

18. Section 23: Functions of SBB
a)AdvisetheStateGovernmentofmattersrelatingto
theconservation,sustainableuseofbiodiversityand
equitablesharingofbenefitsarisingoutofthe
utilizationofbiologicalresources.
b)Regulatethegrantingofapprovalsor otherwise
requestsforcommercialutilizationorbio-surveyor
bio-utilizationofany biologicalresourcebyIndians.

19. Penalties before amendment Penalties after amendment 2023
Section-55 Whoever contravenes or
attempts to contravene or abets the
contravention of the provisions of
section 3,4 or 6 shall be punishable with
imprisonment for a term which may
extend to five years or with fine which
may extend to ten lakh rupees and
where the damage caused exceeds ten
lakh rupees such fine may
commensurate with the damage caused
or with both.
Section-55 Whoever contravenes or
attempts to contravene or abets the
contravention of the provisions of section
3,4 or 6 and 7 shall be liable to pay penalty
which shall not be less than one lakh
rupees, but which may extend to fifty lakh
rupees, but where the damage caused
exceeds the amount of penalty, such penalty
shall be commensurate with the damage
caused, and in case, the failure or
contravention continues, an additional
penalty may be imposed, which shall not
exceed one crore rupees and such penalty
shall be decided by the adjudicating officer
appointed under section 55A.
For violation of Section-7 or Section 24(2)
the punishment is imprisonment for a term
which may extend to three years or with fine
which may extend to 5 lac rupees or with
both.
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20. Section56:Penaltyforcontraventionofdirectionsor
ordersofCentralGovernment,StateGovernment,NBAand
SBB:
-Punishmentwithafineuptoonelacrupees.
-Secondorsubsequentoffence:Rs.2lacs.
-Continuouscontravention:Rs.2lacs/daytillthedefault
continues.
Section58:Offencesarecognizableandnon-bailable.
(Section 58 of the principal Act shall be omitted)

21. Section 61: Cognizance of offences.
WrittenComplaint should be made by:
(a)theCentralGovernmentoranyauthorityor
officerauthorizedinthisbehalfbythat
Government;or
(b)anybenefitclaimerwhohasgivennoticeofnotless
thanthirtydaysintheprescribedmanner of such
offenceandofhisintentiontomakeacomplaint,tothe
CentralGovernmentorthe authorityorofficer
authorizedasaforesaid.
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