Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021

  • April 25, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021

Subject: Environment

Section: Environment law

Context- The parliamentary panel has urged the Union government to remove the controversial clause in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 that overrides the original Act, making an exception only for elephants.

Concept-

  • The amended Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2021 and was referred to the parliamentary panel on December 25.
  • The panel will hold a final round of meeting on Monday on its report on the le- gislation.
  • Section 43 of the principal Act clearly states: “No person having in his possession captive animal, animal article, trophy or uncured trophy in respect of which he has a certificate of ownership shall transfer by way of sale or offer for sale or by any other mode of consideration of commercial nature, such animal or article or trophy or uncured trophy.”
  • The amended Bill introduces an exemption clause for elephants.
  • The exemption clause to Section 43 says: “This section shall not apply to the transfer or transport of any live elephant by a person having a certificate of ownership, where such person has obtained prior permission from the State government on fulfilment of such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:

  • The Act was enacted for the protection of plants and animal species.
  • It has six schedules that give varying degrees of protection.
  • Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection – offenses under these are prescribed the highest penalties.
  • Species listed in Schedule III and Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are much lower.
  • Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted. The specified endemic plants in Schedule VI are prohibited from cultivation and planting. The hunting to the Enforcement authorities has the power to compound offenses under this Schedule (i.e. they impose fines on the offenders).
  • The act has been amended in 1982, 1986, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2006 and 2013.
Environment Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021