Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill 2022
About:
- The official introduction of the Lok Sabha was made by the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change on December 17, 2021.
- Its goal is to amend the 1972 Wild Life (Protection) Act.
- The Bill seeks to expand the number of species that are legally protected and to put CITES into effect.
Features:
CITES:
- Nations created the CITES agreement to ensure that the trade of specimens of wild animals and plants does not imperil the survival of the species.
- The Convention mandates that countries utilise licences to regulate the trade in all authorised specimens. It also tries to regulate the possession of live animal specimens.
- The bill aims to put these CITES clauses into effect.
Authority:
The Bill states that the central government may designate a:
- For the import and export of specimens, the Management Authority issues licences.
- The Management Authority shall be informed of all relevant information whenever a scheduled specimen is traded.
- The Bill is broken by anyone who tampers with or removes the specimen’s identification mark.
- knowledge of the issues that affect the survival of transported specimens
The Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972:
- Six schedules, including four for plants, one for animals, and one for vermin species, have been added to the Act (one).
The Bill reduces the overall number of schedules to four by:
- The species that will receive the highest protection fall under Schedule I.
- The species designated under Schedule II receive less protection.
- Schedule III’s plant-specific section.
- There are currently no identified vermin species.
- Vermin are little animals that are known to taint food and spread illness.
- For the specimens classified in CITES’ Appendices, a new schedule has been added (scheduled specimens).
Species of Extra terrestrial invasion:
- The importation, trade, possession, or spread of invasive alien species is now subject to federal regulation or prohibition.
- An animal or plant is referred to as an invasive alien species if it is not native to India and its introduction there could harm the ecosystem.
- The central government may authorise a representative to seize and eliminate the invasive species.
- The sanctuary is under management.
- The Act mandates that the state sanctuaries be supervised, run, and maintained by the Chief Wildlife Warden of each state.
- The Chief Wildlife Warden is chosen by the state government.
- The Chief Warden must follow the sanctuary management plans, according to the Bill.
- With the Chief Warden’s approval and in compliance with the rules established by the central government, these plans will be made.
- The Gram Sabha in the area must be properly consulted while creating management plans for sanctuaries situated in special areas.
- Examples of special regions include Scheduled Places and territories protected by the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act of 2006.
- According to the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, areas with a disproportionately tribal population are referred to as Scheduled Areas.
Conservation Reserve:
- To protect species and their environment, state governments have the power to designate areas near national parks and sanctuaries as conservation reserves.
- The proposed law also grants the federal government the power to notify a conservation reserve.
Penalties:
- The stipulations of the 1972 WPA Act specify prison terms and fines.
- The Bill increases these sanctions.
Violation:
- 25,000 to 1,000,000 for a general offence
- For animals in need of special protection, a minimum of Rs. 10,000 and a maximum of Rs. 25,000 is required.
What specifically is protected under the 1972 Wildlife (Protection) Act?
- The Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 established a legal framework for the conservation of various wild animal and plant species, the management of their habitats, and the regulation and control of commerce in wild animals, plants, and products produced from them.
- Lists of plants and animals that are covered by varying levels of government protection and regulation are also included in the Act.
- Numerous changes have been made to the Act, with the most recent one occurring in 2006.
