State Initiatives

1. Constitution of Punjab Biodiversity Board (PBB): Taking cognizance of the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Govt of Punjab established Punjab Biodiversity Board as a statutory body u/s 22 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in 2004. The main objectives of the Board are to promote conservation & sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefit arising out of commercial utilization of biological resources in the state. Board is functioning from the O/o Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, Chandigarh under the administrative control of Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Govt. of Punjab.  Further, Govt. of Punjab vide notification no. G.S.R.78/C.A.18/2003/S.63/2016 Dated 11 Nov. 2016 notified Punjab Biological Diversity Rules in 2016. The major mandate of the Board is as under:

• Advise the State Govt. and provide technical assistance on matters related to conservation & sustainable utilization of biological resources.
• Facilitate setting up of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) and preparation of People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) at District/Block/Village and ULBs level.
• Regulate access to biological resources for commercial utilization.
• Identify and take steps to promote conservation of ‘Biodiversity Heritage Sites’ and rehabilitation of threatened flora and fauna of the State.
• Create awareness & undertake capacity building activities on biodiversity related issues.

2. Constitution of BMCs and Preparation of PBRs: As per Section 41 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Rule 22 of the Biological Diversity Rules, 2004, every Local Body (District, Block, Village and ULB) is required to constitute Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) for promoting conservation and sustainable use of biological resources and preparation of People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) for the documentation of local flora & fauna and associated Traditional Knowledge within its jurisdiction.

PBB facilitated 100% constitution of BMCs and preparation of PBRs throughout the State as under:

Source: Punjab Biodiversity Board, 2021

3. Notified Threatened Flora and Fauna of Punjab: As per the Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Government of India, in consultation with the concerned State Govt. may from time to time notify any species which is on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in the near future as a Threatened Species.

Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, in exercise of its power by Section 38 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has notified 13 Species (8 floral and 5 faunal) which are on the verge of extinction as Threatened Species of Punjab. The collection of such species of plants and animals shall be prohibited, except with the prior approval of the PBB only for the purposes mentioned below:

• Scientific research, herbarium and museum of scientific & academic institutions,
• Propagation and any other scientific investigation.

List of Notified Threatened Species of Punjab

State Symbols	Scientific Name	Vernacular Name
State Tree	Dalbergia sissoo	Tahli/ Shisham
State Animal	Antelope cervicapra L.	Kala Hiran /Black Buck
State Bird	Accipiter gentilis	Baaz/ Northern gowshak
State Aquatic Animal	Platanista gangetica minor	Indus River Dolphin

5. Identification of Biodiversity Rich Areas (Potential Biodiversity Heritage Sites): Punjab Biodiversity Board has been making consistent efforts for identification of biodiversity rich sites located outside Protected Area Network of the State to promote their conservation & management as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHSs) u/s 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. BHSs are well defined areas that are unique ecologically fragile ecosystems-terrestrial, freshwater or marine having rich biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the components such as; species richness, high endemism, presence of rare, endemic and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or land races or their varieties, past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having cultural or aesthetic values and are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity, with or without a long history of human association with them. (Source: NBA, India)

Significance and objectives of Biodiversity Heritage Sites:

PBB in consultation with concerned local bodies has identified the following biodiversity rich outside the protected area network:

As per belief of locals, the forest appeared overnight so its name is name ‘Chatpat’ comes from ‘Jhatpat’ (quickly). The old tale is that the trees would walk down the mountains at night when people would be asleep but one day a woman saw them before dawn and they all stopped there. The word ‘Bani’ comes from ‘Vani’ (forest). The site has abundance population of Putranjiva roxburghii (Puttar Datta), Ficus racemose (Gular) trees, murraya species and many other native herbs & shrubs. The grove also acts as a colony of giant bats, cobras and many other micro-organisms.  

Another popular story is that Charpat Yogi was meditating in the fields when farmers came to plough the land. When Yogi did not move, they went ahead with their work. Yogi was covered with dust and as he fell down, his elbow dug into the ground and a spring erupted. Farmers saw it as a miracle and stopped ploughing and bowed to the sacred land. The sacred natural water springs still exists and pass through the site. 

The site is spread in pristine and calm area of 7 acres approximate of Panchayat Land consisting naturally occurring cluster of lush green trees and shrubs. The local belief is that any harm to any tree of the area could lead to misfortune to the individual. Therefore, nobody dares to use any part of the trees. Local people neither use fallen dead wood/dried leaves nor graze cattle within the area due to associated religious beliefs. The local fishing contractor has also voluntarily stopped fishing in the adjoining stretch of the river Sutlej. 

The common flora of the site comprises of Dalbergia sisso, Acacia nilotica, Cordia dictoma, Ficus benghalensis, Phoenix sylvestlis, Prosopis cineraria (single tree), Aegle marmelos, Acacia modesta, Morus alba, Terminalia bellirica, Azadirachta indica, Acacia catechu, Ficus racemosa, Lawsonia inermis, Syzygium cumini, Mangifera indica, Carica papaya, Terminalia chebula, Ziziphus jujube, Psidium guajava, Capparis decidua (Della).

The common fauna of the site comprises Monkey, Wild Boar, Phython, Cobra, Hare, Owl, Peafowl, Nilgai, Mongoose, Indian Squirrel, Indian Pangolin, Rats, Garden lizard, Red Jungle Fowl, House Sparrow, Barking Deer, Fruit Bats, Red Munia, etc. and many insects, arthropods, millipedes and nematodes.

There is vigorous growth of Arundo donax (Narha) and Phragmites Karka (Nari) on the stretch of the site adjoining river Sutlej. 

The site is presently being preserved by the local residents as sacred grove and a Temple of Sidh Baba Sukhia Ji has been constructed by the Panchayat of Village Kartoli. An Annual Fair is being organized at the site during the months of April (14 April) and September (17 September) by the local community.

The site is spread in approximate 3-4 acres land and has rich floral and faunal diversity and is inhabited by some rare, important medicinal and timber plant species like Diospyros tomentosa, Holopetela integrifolia, Bombax ceiba, Carrisa spinarum, Flacourtia indica, Aegle marmelos, Bauhinia variegate, Mallotus philippensis, Murraya koenigii, Adhatoda vasica etc.

The common fauna of the site comprises Monkey, Wild Boar, Phython, Cobra, Hare, Owl, Peafowl, Mongoose, Indian Squirrel, Indian Pangolin, Rats, Garden lizard, Red Jungle Fowl, House Sparrow, Fruit Bats, Red Munia, etc. and many insects, arthropods, millipedes and nematodes. 

• Coffee Table Book on Threatened Flora and Fauna of Punjab
• Handbook on Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)
• Biodiversity in Shivalik Ecosystem of Punjab
• Tree Directory of Punjab
• Bioresources based industries in Punjab: A Treatise
• Biodiversity: The Web of Life

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