Lok Sabha Question No. 970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Depletion of Bio-diversity
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Anurag Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 970

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.09.2020

## Depletion of Bio-diversity

## 970. SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

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

- (a) the  measures  being  taken  to  prevent  depletion  of  bio-diversity  due  to  large  scale exploitation of Himalayan forests in the country;
- (b) the  legal  provisions  being  recommended to prevent the problems like drying of rivers, depleting groundwater  sources, melting  of glaciers, excavation  of  mountains  and pollution related to solid and hazardous waste; and
- (c) the benefits derived by ensuring greater democratic public participation in environmental reforms/measures that have been undertaken so far?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) Central Government  has  taken  various  initiatives to prevent the depletion of biodiversity in Himalayan forests. These includes promotion of diverse models/approaches of restoration of degraded lands, promotion of e x-situ conservation of threatened species, documentation and feasibility analysis of biodiversity rich areas for promoting in-situ conservation by establishing Biosphere Reserves, sensitization and capacity building of diverse group of stakeholders towards conservation  and  sustainable  use  of  Himalayan  biodiversity,  in  depth  research  on assessment  of  ecological  regimes  in  Indian  Himalayan  Region,  implementation  of three trans boundary cooperation projects for conservation and development initiatives at landscape level, etc. Detail of aforementioned initiatives is enclosed at Annexure-I.
- (b) The  Central  Government,  though  its  various  legislations/Acts  such  as  Biological Diversity  Act,  2002,  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974,  Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Forest  (Conservation)  Act,  1980,  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972,  River  Ganga (Rejuvenation,  Protection  and  Management)  Authorities  order,  2016,  Solid  Waste Management Rules, 2016and Hazardous andOther Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement)  Rules,  2016, etc. has provided for conservation,

protection and sustainable development of natural resources and pollution related to solid and hazardous waste in the country.

Further,  Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  been  constituted  under Section  3  (3)  of  the  'Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986'  for  the  purpose  of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country, which includes depletion of ground water

- (c) Enhanced public participation in conservation, development and enrichment of forest cover  in  the  countryhas  yielded  multiple  benefits  to  the  forest  fringe  communities through afforestation programs, Integrated Watershed Development programs, Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat, etc. The aim is to supplement the efforts of  the  States  and  UTs  by  ensuring  public  participation  towards  protection  and management  of  forests.  These  initiatives  have  resulted  in  enhancing  sense  of ownership  of  forest  resources,  capacity  development  at  grassroots  and  usufruct sharing  (through  Joint  Forest  Management  and  ecotourism  activities)  among  the forest fringe communities.

## Annexure referred to the LSUQ No. 972 part (a) asked by Shri Anurag Sharma regarding 'Depletion of biodiversity' due for answer on 18.09.2020

1. Details of restoration programmes carried out over the years by the G.B. Pant 'National Institute  of  Himalayan  Environment'(NIHE)  in  different  Himalayan  region  to  conserve biodiversity:

|   Sl. No. | Measures/Approaches                                                   | Details of location and area                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Integrating Science with Religion for Wasteland Rehabilitation        | • Area: Badrinath (3,133 masl), Distt. Chamoli • Plantation: 36,697 seedling • Plantation species: Juniperusmacropoda, Betulautilis, Hippophaesalicifolia                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|         3 | Afforestation of community degraded land (1992)                       | • Area: Arah Village (Bageshwer), 9 ha • Plantation of Bamboo saplings.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|         4 | Establishment of a Sacred Forest (2004- 07)                           | • Area: Kolidhaik village (Lohaghat, Uttarakhand) • Plantation : 8000 tree saplings • Major species Alnusnepalensis, Quercusleucotrichophora, Grewiaoptiva, Celtisaustralis                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|         5 | Sloping Watershed Environment Engineering Technology (SWEET)          | • To achieve twin goals of ecological restoration of degraded lands and livelihoods enhancement of stakeholders • Executed in Kosi (Almora) watershed                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|         6 | Agro-forestry for Rehabilitation of Culturable Wastelands (1990-2012) | • Degraded community land on 14 ha wasteland of Bansbara village, Rudrapryag District (Uttarakahnd) • Main species: Boehmeriarugulosa, Grewiaoptiva&Ficusglomerata (fodder trees), Albizzialebbek, Celtisaustralis&Dalbergiasissoo (timber trees), and Pyruspashia&Sapiumsebiferum (fuelwood).                                                                                  |
|         8 | Wasteland Restoration Through Silvi-Pasture Development (2002- 05)    | • Community wasteland (40 ha) was taken up for silvi-pasture development (20 ha in Dobh-Srikot and 5 ha in Bhimli villages in Pauri-Garhwal, and 15 ha in Katarmal village in Almora district). • Planted MPTS and measures such as, gully plugging, land leveling, maintenance and repair of terrace risers and cropfield bunds were executed for soil and water conservation. |

|   9. | Fodder Bank Development on Community Wasteland (2009-2012)                         | • Maikhanda village cluster in District Rudraprayag, Garhwal Himalaya by taking up 6 ha village community wasteland. • Fodder species (including trees, shrubs and herbs) viz., Ringal Bamboo (Chimnobambusafalcata,Thamnocalamusspathiflor us, Arundinaria spp.), tree species (Bauhinia variegata, Celtisaustralis, Debregeasiasalicifolia, Ficusnemoralis, F. auriculata, F. subincisa, Morus alba, Quercusglauca, Q. leucotricophora) and introduced grass species (Napier, Pennisetum purpureum, Joint star, Makuni, Cox foot, etc.) were planted.                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   10 | Participatory Rehabilitation of Bhimtal Lake Catchment, Nainital (2002-2010)       | • Vegetative and engineering measures were employed in about 55 ha degraded community land using four land use models (viz., Multi-purpose tree species; Silvi-pasture development; Aromatic plants cultivation; and Agrihorticulture). • In the multi-purpose tree species model, a total of 38,322 saplings of more than 20 MPTs were planted those registered 16-37% mean survival after 5 years.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|   11 | Kailash Sacred Landscape Development Initiative (ICIMOD funded ) Project (2014-20) | • Nakina village Van-panchayat (Pithoragarh); Plantation area: 2 ha; Species: Quercusleucotricophora, Quercusglauca • Majhera village Van-panchayat; Plantation area: 2 ha; Species: Quercusleucotricophora, Quercusglauca • Chitgal village Panchayat, Plantation area: 4 ha; Seedlings of Oak, and Diploknemabutyracea planted • Digtoli van panchayat (Pithoragarh): Plantation area: 2.5 ha; Species: Cinnamomumtamala, Zanthoxyllumarmatum, Quercusglauca • Jajoot (Pithoragarh): Plantation area 1.5 ha; Species: Quercuslecotricophora, Q. glauca, Alnus; Pittosporumeriocarpum, Morus alba , etc. • Lumti (Pithoragarh): Plantation area 3 ha; Species: Quercuslecotricophora, Q. glauca, Alnus; Pittosporumeriocarpum, Morus alba, Cinnamomumtamala , etc. |
|   12 | Contour Hedgerow Farming System and Bio-engineering                                | Plantation of two rows of nitrogen-fixing native hedge species along the contour lines was developed to control of soil stabilisation and erosion in Sikkim                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |

Measures in Sikkim

region.

## 2. Details of promoting ex-situ conservation of threatened medicinal plants at farmer's field:

|   Sl.No. | Measures/Approaches    | Details of location and area                                                            |
|----------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Cluster based approach | Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh Farmers field - > 6 ha Farmers families - 24           |
|        2 | Cluster based approach | Champawat district, Uttarakhand Farmers field - 15 ha Farmers - 146 families            |
|        3 | Cluster based approach | Lata area, Chamoli and Uttarkashi district Farmers field - 16 ha Farmers - 170 families |
|        4 | Cluster based approach | Chaudas area, Pithoragarh Farmers field - 5 ha Farmers families - 172                   |

3. Promoting  e x-situ conservation  of  threatened  and  high  value  medicinal  plants  through propagation packages and cultivation at farmer's field.
4. Documentation  and  feasibility  analysis  of  biodiversity  rich  areas  for  promoting  in-situ conservation in the Indian Himalayan region by establishing Biosphere Reserves.
5. Sensitizing and capacity building of diverse group of stakeholders towards conservation and sustainable use of Himalayan biodiversity.
6. By  undertaking  in  depth  research  on  understanding  ecological  status  of  forests  in different parts of IHR.
7. Implementation of three transboundary cooperation projects for conservation and development initiatives at landscape level. These include (i) Kailash Scared Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative; (ii) Kanchenzunga landscape conservation and development initiative, and (iii) the landscape initiative for far eastern Himalayas.