NBA sets up expert panel to tackle invasive alien species threat

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has constituted an expert committee on invasive alien species, following directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), to address the growing ecological and socio-economic risks posed by such species across the country.

The move comes in response to a suo motu proceeding (O.A. No. 162/2023) by the NGT, which flagged serious threats posed by invasive alien species to native biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, food security, and both human and wildlife health. The tribunal had directed the NBA to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the issue. The initiative was further supported by advisory from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Acting under the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, as amended in 2023, the NBA has set up a multi-disciplinary committee to provide strategic guidance on managing invasive species.

The committee has been tasked with preparing a consolidated national list of invasive alien species based on inputs from states, identifying and prioritising high-risk species, and recommending science-based management strategies. It will also suggest ecological restoration measures and develop national-level guidelines for prevention, control, and eradication of such species.

In addition, the panel will document best practices, identify knowledge gaps, and propose research and data-generation programmes to strengthen long-term policy responses and management frameworks.

The committee will be chaired by Dhananjai Mohan, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force, Uttarakhand. Professor A. Biju Kumar, Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, will serve as Co-Chair.

The panel includes senior officials and experts from key institutions such as the Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) bureaus, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Wildlife Institute of India, and Forest Survey of India. Representatives from State Forest Departments and international organisations, including IUCN, are also part of the committee.