Panel to look into govt. request to exclude settlements from protected areas

Sub : Env

Sec: Protected Areas

Context:

A three-member team from the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) will evaluate a request from the Kerala government to exclude certain human settlements from the protected areas.
This includes the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary and the Angel Valley and Pamba Valley settlements in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Residents in these areas have faced restrictions due to wildlife protection laws and have been demanding exclusion from protected zones.

Team Composition

R. Sukumar: Wildlife expert and NBWL member.
R. Raghu Prasad: Inspector General (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Pramod G. Krishnan: Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala.

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary:

Located about 12 km from Kothamangalam (Kerala state, India).
It was the first bird sanctuary in Kerala.
Salim Ali, one of the best-known ornithologists, described this sanctuary as the richest bird habitat on peninsular India.
Thattekkad literally means flat forest, and the region is a deciduous but generally moist low-land forest surrounding the Periyar River, the longest river in Kerala.

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL):

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to oversee and promote wildlife conservation and sustainable development in India.

Key Features:

Chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
Vice-chairperson is the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Includes wildlife experts, ecologists, conservationists, and representatives from government and non-government organizations.
Mandate and Role:
- Advise the Government of India on policies and programs related to wildlife conservation.
- Review and approve proposals for projects involving wildlife habitats, particularly in protected areas (national parks, sanctuaries, and tiger reserves).
- Promote inter-agency coordination for the protection of wildlife and biodiversity.
NBWL’s recommendations are binding for projects requiring environmental clearances within eco-sensitive zones and protected areas.

Functions of NBWL

Develops guidelines for wildlife conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
Advocates policies to address human-wildlife conflict and habitat degradation.
Monitors compliance with wildlife laws.
Advises on the declaration of protected areas and eco-sensitive zones.
Evaluates and grants clearance for projects like dams, roads, and mining in protected areas, balancing development with conservation.
Promotes scientific research and public awareness on wildlife conservation.

Source: TH