Why in the News?

The Prime Minister of India chaired the 7th National Board for Wildlife meeting at Gir National Park in Gujarat.

More on the News

• The recent meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) took after over 10 years.
  • The last full-body NBWL meeting was held in 2012.
  • The first NBWL meeting was held in 2003.
• During the meeting, the Prime Minister released the report of the first-ever riverine dolphin estimation, which estimated a total of 6,327 dolphins.
• Prime Minister announced the initiation of the 16th cycle of lion estimation to be conducted in 2025 (the last one was done in 2020).

About the National Board for Wildlife 

• It is a statutory body established in 2003 after the amendment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in 2002.
• Genesis: The Government of India during 1952 had constituted an advisory body designated as the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL). 
  • Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar (Maharaja of Mysore) was its first chairman.
  • IBWL was instrumental in setting in place the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, the establishment of the Gir National Park for Asiatic Lions, declaring the tiger as the national animal, etc.
• Members:
  • Chairperson: Prime Minister of India.
  • Vice-Chairperson: Union Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment & Forests and climate change.
  • Member-Secretary to the Board: Additional Director General of Forests (WL) & Director, Wildlife Preservation.
  • Five persons to represent non-governmental organisations to be nominated by Central Government.
  • Ten persons to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst eminent conservationists, ecologists and environmentalists.
• Standing Committee: NBWL constitutes a Standing Committee for the purpose of exercising powers and performing duties as may be delegated to the Committee by the National Board.
  • Chairman: Minister of Environment and Forests and Climate Change.
• Functions of NBWL:
  • To promote the conservation and development of wild life and forests by such measures as it thinks fit.
  • Framing policies and advising Central Government and State Governments on ways and means of promoting wildlife conservation and effectively controlling poaching and illegal trade of wildlife and its products.
  • Making recommendations on setting up of and management of national parks, sanctuaries and other protected areas and on matters relating to restriction of activities in those areas.
  • Carrying out or causing to be carried but impact assessment of various projects and activities on wild life or its habitat.

Concerns related to NBWL

• Approval of Projects in Protected Areas: E.g., Ken-Betwa River linking project, involving Daudhan Dam, was cleared despite submergence of nearly 100 sq km of the Panna Tiger Reserve.
• Threats to Endangered Species: E.g., Oil exploration in Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary (Assam), threatens the habitat of the Hoolock Gibbon, India's only ape species.
• Reduced Role of Independent Members:Since 2014, the standing committee has held 50 meetings without the requisite number of conservation experts and non-governmental members.
• Neglect of Local Communities Opinion: Local opposition was ignored during clearance of a coal mining project in the Hasdeo Arand forest in Chhattisgarh, home to elephants.
• Insufficient Monitoring Post-Clearance: In the last 5 years, 718 project proposals in wildlife sanctuaries and protected areas have been granted wildlife clearance by NBWL.
  • However, the certificates of compliance are not being sent by the state chief wildlife warden. (77th meeting of standing committee in February 2024)

Way forward

• Need for Expertise: Ensure presence of qualified wildlife scientists, and conservation NGOs, in both NBWL and its Standing Committee. Regular, inclusive meetings can restore credibility.
• Monitoring Post-Clearance: An annual compliance certificate on the stipulated conditions shall be submitted by the User Agency to the State Chief Wild Life Warden and an annual compliance certificate shall be submitted by the State Chief Wild Life Warden to Government.
• Institutionalize Local Community Participation: Require Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) from affected tribal and forest-dependent communities.
• Balancing development and environment: NBWL should encourage eco-sensitive alternatives like rerouting roads, using tunnels, or renewable energy over large dams or open-pit mining.
  • E.g., realignment of NH-7 in Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra-MP) using overpasses helped protect tiger corridors.
• Leverage Scientific and Technological Tools: Use wildlife movement data, satellite imagery, and AI-based habitat modelling to assess and predict impacts before approval.