National Board for Wild Life
India has a rich heritage of wildlife as well as a long history and tradition of conservation. The concern for wildlife is, indeed, the concern for man himself. All forms of life – human, animal and plants are so closely inter-linked that disturbance in one gives rise to imbalance in the others. The protection of the environment has also attracted attention at the political level as an issue of national concern. Due to the rapid decline in wildlife population, the Government of India during 1952 had constituted an advisory body designated as the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL). The Indian Board for Wildlife was chaired by the Prime Minister. Since its inception, twenty-one meetings have been convened and several important decisions relating to conservation of wildlife has been taken by the Board.
During the 1970’s the Government of India appointed a committee for recommending legislative measures and administrative machinery for ensuring environmental protection. Accordingly, a comprehensive central legislation was enacted in 1972 called the Wildlife (Protection) Act for providing special legal protection to our wildlife and to the endangered species of fauna in particular. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 was subsequently amended during 1991 and last during 2002. As per the amendment of the Act in 2002, a provision was incorporated for the constitution of the National Board for Wildlife, replacing the Indian Board for Wildlife.
The National Board for Wildlife came into existence with the Gazette Notification dated 22nd September 2003. A copy of the Notification along with the rules framed under the National Board for Wildlife is enclosed for ready reference as Annexure-1. The National Board for Wildlife has 47 members with the Prime Minister in the Chair. The Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment & Forests in the Central Government is the Vice-Chairperson. The Additional Director General of Forests (WL) & Director, Wildlife Preservation is the Member-Secretary to the Board. The Board is responsible for promotion of conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
*****
KP/SR
(Release ID :18417)