Lok Sabha Question No. 3360 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: Vulnerable Wildlife
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JITENDRA CHAUDHURY

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3360

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2016

## Vulnerable Wildlife

## 3360.    SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

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

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  wildlife  is  vulnerable  to  extinction  in  the  country  due  to  a number of factors such as climate change, pollution, destruction of forests farming and logging, poaching etc.;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether  due  to  sea  pollution,  whales  and  dolphins  are  seriously  harmed  by  longlife industrial pollutants; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a), (b) (c) and (d) Diverse pressure on ecosystems due to anthropogenic activities, including  pollution,  habitat  destruction,  poaching,  climate  change,  etc. impact biodiversity and wildlife, including marine biodiversity. However, there are no specific reports in the Ministry indicating death of whales  and  dolphins  due  to  human  induced  factors  like  pollution.  The following are the important steps taken by the Government for protection of wildlife including marine species:

i. Legal protection has been provided to wild animals against hunting and commercial exploitation under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

ii. Protected Areas, viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves  and  Community Reserves covering important wildlife habitats have been created all over the country under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.

- iii.  Special  programmes like 'Project Tiger' and 'Project Elephant' have been  launched  for  conservation  of  these  endangered  species  and  their habitats.
- iv.  Financial  and  technical  assistance  is  provided  to  the  State/  Union Territory  Governments  under  the  Centrally Sponsored  Schemes  for providing better protection to wildlife including endangered species and improvement of its habitat.
- v.  A  specific component of 'Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats' is provided in the Centrally Sponsored Scheme  of  'Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats'  for  focused conservation action on selected critically endangered species.
- vi. In addition to provision of stringent punishment for the offenders, the Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972  also  provides  for  forfeiture  of  any equipment,  vehicle  or  weapon  that  is  used  for  committing  wildlife offence(s).
- vii. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been empowered under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to apprehend and prosecute wildlife offenders.

viii.  The  Wildlife  Crime  Control  Bureau  has  been  set  up  to  ensure  coordination among various officers and State Governments in connection with the enforcement of law for control of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its products.

.

****