The government is set to enact a law to protect the rich biodiversity of the country and also to safeguard Indian agriculture from bio-terrorism and inflow of dangerous pests from outside. The proposed legislation, Agricultural Biosecurity Bill-2012, is high on the agenda of the Union Cabinet for its consideration, which will meet on Thursday.
Confirming this, sources in the government said, the proposed legislation would be on the lines of similar law in place in New Zealand, Australia and the US. The legislation seeks to establish an authority to replace existing plantation protection advisers.
The new law will ensure streamlining of plantation quarantine issues. Issues like pesto-diseases and threats of bio terrorism and disaster either man made or natural would also be addressed by the proposed legislation.
The bill also seeks to put in place a combined authority to look after all aspects of biodiversity, which include a number of issues like combating transfer of diseases from animals to humans and from humans to animals.
The proposed authority, as per the bill, would be empowered to make decisions on all matters listed under the legislations in a bid to ensure prompt response for any crisis. The bill will address biological, physical and chemical contaminants in carriers, which could be a threat to biodiversity.