Four biodiversity heritage sites for Karnataka

Question 1

What are Biodiversity Heritage Sites?

Answer 1

well defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems – terrestrial, coastal and inland waters or marine having rich biodiversity.
[WELL DEFINED,ECOLOGICALLY FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM]

Question 2

What are one or more of the characteristics of these sites?

Answer 2

Richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories,
high endemism,
presence of rare and threatened species,
keystone species,
species of evolutionary significance,
wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or their varieties,

[HAS VARIOUS SPECIES]

past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values and are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity, with or without a long history of human association with them.

[BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS REPRESENTED BY FOSSIL BEDS -> HAVING SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL,ETHICAL,AESTHETIC VALUES]

Question 3

What are the legal provisions in this regard?

Answer 3

-State Governments can notify the Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS) in consultation with local governing bodies under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act of 2002.
[STATE CAN NOTIFY BIODIVERSITY HERITAGE SITES]

-Under sub-section (2) of Section 37, the State Government in consultation with the Central Government may frame rules for the management and conservation of BHS.

Question 4

Which are the recently added sites?

Answer 4

1. Antaragange Betta in Kolar– This area has a unique and perennial water source flowing all through the year.
2. Aadi Narayana Swamy Betta in Chickballapur– It serves as a habitat to many dry-belt species protected by locals.
3. Mahima Ranga Betta in Nelamangala, Bengaluru– It is a prominent lung space surviving in Bengaluru.
4. Urumbi area on the Kumaradhara river basin in Dakshina Kannada– This area has a fragile environmental system and there were proposals to set a small scale hydro plant in this region.

[1.ANTARGANGE - KOLAR

2. NARAYAN SWAMY - CHICKBALLAPUR
3. MAHIMA RANGA - NELAMANGALA - BENGALURU
4. URUMBI - DAKSHIN KANNADA]