---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kalpavriksh Delhi <kalpavriksh.de...@gmail.com> Date: Tue, Jun 22, 2010 at 12:05 PM Subject: [BioDWatch] Probe into posting of chairman sought To: biodwa...@yahoogroups.com
Probe into posting of chairman sought Express News Service<http://expressbuzz.com/searchresult/express-news-service> First Published : 21 Jun 2010 11:53:01 AM IST Last Updated : PALAKKAD: The Jana Jagratha, in a memorandum submitted to the Governor, has demanded a thorough inquiry into the appointment of the new chairman to the Kerala State Biodiversity Board. Jana Jagratha secretary P S Panicker said the board has completely failed in preventing bio-piracy in the state. The appointment of a contract employee of the board, R V Verma, as chairman is deeply worrying, especially given that he has promoted pesticide use in his studies while at the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Panicker said. The procedure for the appointment has violated the Biodiversity Rules, which state that a committee chaired by the Chief Secretary should make the selection of the chairman of the board. Besides, the rules state that the chairman should be an expert with experience in three areas in biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and biodiversity-related benefit-sharing, Panicker said. The newly appointed chairman does not have the recquired experience in the last two areas, and, therefore, his appointment constitutes another violation of the Biodiversity Rules, he said. The Jana Jagratha felt that the Board has been involved in massive public relations exercises like giving expensive awards, which are nowhere in the duties of the Board as outlined in the Biodiversity Act. It felt that handling issues like nominal organic farming policy or wetland conservation are not a part of the duties of the board and they can be done only once the primary duties have been fulfilled.The Jana Jagratha pointed out that even as the Board was involved in a campaign against GM crops, it has carefully refused to act or advise the government to ban the introduction of GM crops in the state using the appropriate provisions in the existing laws on agriculture and food adulteration. URL: http://expressbuzz.com/states/kerala/probe-into-posting-of-chairman-sought/183385.html -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
