Lok Sabha Question No. 2420 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Migratory Species
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2420

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021

## Migratory Species

## 2420.   SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

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

- (a) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  integrate  biodiversity  and  migratory  species considerations into National Climate and Energy Policy;
- (b) the steps taken by Government to promote wildlife friendly renewable energy; and
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  Government  to  promote  awareness  on  migratory  species  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) The  Government  of  India  is  implementing  the  National  Action  Plan  on Climate  Change  (NAPCC),  which  comprises  of  eight  missions  in  specific areas of solar  energy,  energy  efficiency,  water,  agriculture,  Himalayan ecosystem,  sustainable  habitat,  green India  and  strategic  knowledge  on climate change.

One of the eight Missions, viz., the National Mission for a Green India (GIM) aims at protecting, restoring and enhancing India's forest cover and responding to Climate Change. The objectives of the Mission are to increase forest/tree  cover  and  improve  quality  of  forest  cover,  improve  ecosystem services  including  biodiversity  and  hydrological  services,  increase  forestbased livelihood income of households living in and around the forests, and enhance annual CO2 sequestration.

In  addition,  the  Ministry  has  launched  the  third  'National  Wildlife  Action Plan (2017-2031)' in the year 2017 which is the future road map for wildlife conservation in India. The Plan is unique as this is the first time that India has recognized  the  concerns  relating  to  climate  change  impact  on  wildlife  and stressed  on  integrating  actions  that  need  to  be  taken  for  its  mitigation  and adaptation into wildlife management planning processes.

- (b) The  important  steps  taken  by  Government  to  promote  wildlife  friendly renewable energy include the following:
- i. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had requested the power transmission line agencies and wind energy farm developers to identify critical power transmission lines and wind energy  firms  passing  through  the  Great  Indian  Bustard  (GIB) habitats in Rajasthan and Gujarat in consultation with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and concerned States Governments and accordingly, take up risk mitigation measures against bird hits like putting up bird diverters on the conductors, painting of vane tips of the wind turbines, etc.
- ii. The Central Electricity  Authority  has  issued  directives  to  avoid laying of transmission lines through Protected Areas and wildlife corridors  and  has  developed  technical  specifications  for  bird diverters  and  has  requested  the  power  agencies  to  install    good quality diverters on transmission lines to reduce bird mortality.
- iii. A Task Force has been constituted by the Ministry for suggesting  Eco-friendly  measures  to  mitigate  impacts  of  power transmission  lines  and  other  power  transmission  infrastructures on wildlife including the migratory birds. The recommendations of the Task Force were accepted by the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife and the same were circulated to all States/ Union Territory Administrations.
- (c) The  important  steps  taken  by  Government  to  promote  awareness  on migratory species in the country include the following:
- i. The Government of India successfully hosted the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, during 17th-22nd February,  2020  at  Gandhinagar,  Gujarat  representatives  from many  countries  besides  Heads  of  several  biodiversity  related Inter-Governmental Organizations. The 'Gandhinagar Declaration'  was  adopted  during  the  COP  which  envisages 'Connectivity' amongst landscapes, habitats, amongst the various conventions and also between the people and ecosystems for ensuring better conservation of migratory species across the globe.
- ii. The  Ministry has launched the 'National Action Plan for conservation of Migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway (CAF)'  in  November  2018.  The  Action  Plan  emphasizes  on coordination and cooperation between various Central Government Ministries, State Government Departments,
- managers of Protected Areas, local communities, Civil Societies and Private sector.
- iii. Awareness generation  camps  are  being  organized  by  the  State/ UT  Administrations on the importance of conservation of migratory species and their habitats.
- iv. Financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  State/Union  Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats for providing better protection to wildlife and improvement of habitat which includes funding for awareness generation programmes.

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