Biodiversity body to get new head

Thiruvananthapuram:  The post of Kerala State Biodiversity Board chairperson will be vacant soon,  but the government has not yet designated anyone to replace outgoing chairman Oommen V. Oommen, whose tenure was once extended during former chief minister Oommen Chandy’s time.

The process of appointing a new chairman has started, according to the chief minister’s scientific advisor M.C. Dathan. They have received half-a- dozen proposals, which were being verified.  According to him, a new head will be announced within two or three weeks.

Every order by the board has to be signed by  the chairperson or an authorised officer. The chairperson in-charge will ensure that the functioning will not get affected, according to Mr Oommen V. Oommen.

However, one of the main initiatives connected with Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) could get affected. 

This week, government-run Oushadhi became the first of over 1,500 companies to sign an agreement promising that they would pay a specific amount as part of the Access and Benefit Sharing stipulations. 

The board has been corresponding with more than 1,500 companies which benefit from various natural resources. Around 150 companies which include ayurveda chains and tea companies have come forward for discussions. Any delay in appointing a new chairperson could interrupt the ongoing negotiations.