The board was set up in December, 2004, under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Under this Act, the National Biodiversity Authority has been set up in Chennai, which is headed by Dr M.S. Swaminathan, a renowned agriculturalist.

The states have been authorised to establish state-level biodiversity boards to implement the Act. The Punjab Government has taken a lead in this regard by setting up the board. However, no state biodiversity board will be set up for a Union Territory as the National Biodiversity Authority will perform the functions of a state board in their case.

Under the Act, no corporate body or association or a foreigner without the approval of the state biodiversity board or the national authority can obtain any biological sample or knowledge associated thereto for research or for commercial utilisation or for bio-survey and bio-utilisation.

Even the researcher cannot transfer the results of any research relating to any biological resource occurring in or obtained from India for monetary consideration or otherwise to any person who is not a citizen of India or a body corporate or organisation which is not registered or incorporated in India.

However, the transfer does not include publication of research papers or dissemination of knowledge in any seminar.

For commercial utilisation of any biological resource, intimation to the state biodiversity board is a must.

The Punjab Biodiversity Board will advise the state government on matters relating to biodiversity. It can even prohibit or restrict any such activity if it is of the opinion that such an activity is detrimental to the objectives of conservation.

“The aim of the Act is to make inventories of the country’s biodiversity. The setting up of the board is just a beginning towards taking care of bio-resources at the local level,” says Dr Neelima Jerath, Joint Director (Environment), Punjab State Council for Science and Technology. The council is the nodal agency to liaison between the National Biodiversity Authority and the state board.

The state is rich in flora and fauna. The Shivaliks are home to 390 species of birds, 135 species of moths, 74 species of butterflies, 63 species of beetles, 19 species of mammals, 55 species of fish and 27 species of reptiles.