<p>The Karnataka Biodiversity Board has decided to follow up on the long list of key works, most of them pending at the government level, like declaration of 15 places as biodiversity hotspots and model biodiversity conservation plans in five districts. </p>.<p>At the special general body meeting on Wednesday, the Board honoured its outgoing chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisar, who formally handed over charge to new chairman Ravi Kalappa.</p>.<p>Ashisar said there was a need to ensure that the Board's resolutions were cleared by the government at the earliest.</p>.<p>"The proposal to make the deputy conservator of forest as the biodiversity Act implementing authority at the district level is pending before the government. The board has to get an order passed by the department of personnel and administration in this regard," he added.</p>.<p>Amendments have been suggested to the impact assessment methodology in forest areas when it comes to counting trees.</p>.<p>As biodiversity of an area includes smaller trees, plants, shrubs and other flora, all these have to be counted while assessing damage caused by non-forestry projects.</p>.<p>He stressed the need to notify the rules for the protection of 16 places with heritage trees, besides declaring 15 fish sanctuaries, raising awareness on biodiversity among people's representatives and clearing other pending works. </p>
<p>The Karnataka Biodiversity Board has decided to follow up on the long list of key works, most of them pending at the government level, like declaration of 15 places as biodiversity hotspots and model biodiversity conservation plans in five districts. </p>.<p>At the special general body meeting on Wednesday, the Board honoured its outgoing chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisar, who formally handed over charge to new chairman Ravi Kalappa.</p>.<p>Ashisar said there was a need to ensure that the Board's resolutions were cleared by the government at the earliest.</p>.<p>"The proposal to make the deputy conservator of forest as the biodiversity Act implementing authority at the district level is pending before the government. The board has to get an order passed by the department of personnel and administration in this regard," he added.</p>.<p>Amendments have been suggested to the impact assessment methodology in forest areas when it comes to counting trees.</p>.<p>As biodiversity of an area includes smaller trees, plants, shrubs and other flora, all these have to be counted while assessing damage caused by non-forestry projects.</p>.<p>He stressed the need to notify the rules for the protection of 16 places with heritage trees, besides declaring 15 fish sanctuaries, raising awareness on biodiversity among people's representatives and clearing other pending works. </p>
