Lok Sabha Question No. 6558 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-06
Subject: Bio-Diversity Parks
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 6558

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.04.2018

## Bio-Diversity Parks

## 6558. SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

## SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a)   the  number  of  biological  parks  and  bio-diversity  parks  open  to  the  common  man  in  the country at present, State/UTwise;
- (b)   the revenue earned from such parks during the last four years and the budgetary allocation made by the Government for this purpose;
- (c)   the  number  of  biological  and  biodiversity  parks  being  run  by  the  State  Government  in Maharashtra at present;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  set  up  any  such  park  in  Chittorgarh  district  of Rajasthan; and
- (e)   the difference in the lives of wild animals living in such parks and other wild life sanctuaries opened till date?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) As per information received from BSI, the Biodiversity Park concept  was  implemented for the first time in Delhi by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE) of the University of Delhi. Till date, the DDA has notified 6 Biodiversity Parks: (i) Yamuna, (ii) Aravalli,  (iii)  Neela  Hauz,  (iv) Tilpath Valley,  (v)  Northern  Ridge,  and  (vi)  Yamuna Riverfront.

Of these 6 Biodiversity  Parks, Yamuna and Aravalli Biodiversity Parks are fully  functional and have become Nature Reserves of Delhi/open to the public.

(b) No budgetary allocation has been made by the Ministry for any of the parks.  No entry fees is charged by DDA from Members of the public visiting these parks.

(c)  As  per  information  received  from  Maharashtra  State  Biodiversity  Board,  biodiversity Parks are not maintained by them. However, as informed by BSI, the BanerPashan Biodiversity Park is a proposed 200 hectare protected region currently under development in the Baner and Pashan suburbs of Pune,  by the Pune Municipal Corporation. The park is being constructed to protect the biodiversity near and around the Baner Hill and its spur, the Pashan Hill.

(d)  No such proposal has been received in this regard. (e) No specific differences in the lives of wild animals living in biodiversity parks and other wildlife sanctuaries can be seen. However, the underlying principle of Biodiversity Park is to recreate self-sustaining ecosystems with native flora and fauna characteristics of the area for enhancing  the  quality  of  urban  environment  and  will  have  conservation,  educational  and cultural values. the 'park' will  serve:  (i)  as  a  repository  of  gene  pools  of  vanishing  flora  and  fauna,  including rare, endemic, economic and threatened elements; (ii) lung for the urban surroundings; (iii) place for recreation; (iv) as a tool for promoting environmental awareness and education and

These recreated biological communities along with different components of (v) as a living laboratory for conservation scientists, ecologists and environmentalist.

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