In process of amending wildlife act: Centre

NEW DELHI: The Union environment ministry has informed Parliament that it is in the process of amending the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, after a review committee submitted a report to the ministry, suggesting several revisions to the current version of the Act.

Addressing other contentious issues during the monsoon session, the ministry said the Char Dham road project is not under its purview and that the draft Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2020, removes existing redundancies.

The Wildlife Protection Act was last amended in 2003.

“The ministry had constituted a committee for drafting amendments to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, on May 1, 2018, which has submitted its report. The drafting committee has proposed a comprehensive review of various provisions of the Act,” the ministry said on September 15.

“Apart from involving more local people in conservation and stricter penalties, the CITES {Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora} clauses will be introduced in the Act,” a senior ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.

The environment ministry on Saturday also told the Parliament that the 900-kilometre Char Dham road project to connect four Hindu pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand has not been referred to it for appraisal.

“In view of the... thresholds applicable to roads in Char Dham projects, no project has been referred to the MoEFCC for appraisal,” the ministry said.

“Environment regulation requires a much more reflexive approach and not a defensive one. The approval of the Char Dham project is yet another case in point when poorly thought out and hasty decisions have resulted in severe and irreversible damage...,” said Kanchi Kohli, a legal researcher with the Centre for Policy Research.

THE ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY HAS ALSO TOLD THE PARLIAMENT THAT THE 900KILOMETRE CHAR DHAM ROAD PROJECT TO CONNECT FOUR HINDU PILGRIMAGE SITES IN UTTARAKHAND HAS NOT BEEN REFERRED TO IT FOR APPRAISAL