Lok Sabha Question No. 1394 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Bio-diversity Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY, POONAM  MAHAJAN

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1394

TO BE ANSWERED ON  08.12.2015

## Bio-diversity Areas

## 1394.  SHRI GOPAL SHETTY:

SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

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

- (a) whether  as  per  the  Bird  Life  International's  report  released  in  November,  2014  titled 'Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas: A Global Network for Conserving Nature and Benefiting People' major Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in the country are on the verge of extinction and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the reasons behind the loss of bio-diversity and habitat in those areas;
- (c) whether  a  decrease  has  been  registered  in  the  arrival  of  migratory  birds  in  various locations in the country and if so, the steps proposed for creating favourable conditions for their arrival;
- (d) the  action  plan  proposed  by  the  Government  to  save  those  areas  and  promote  species recovery; and
- (e) the details of funds allocated/released for the plan, State-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a)&(b) Bird  Life  International  has  identified  467  Important  Bird  and  Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in India. Following five IBAs have been reported in danger:
- i. Flamingo City, Kachchh district of Gujarat
- ii. Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Maharashtra
- iii. Mahul-Sewri Creek, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- iv. Sailana Kharmor Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh
- v. Tillanchong Island (Andaman and Nicobar Islands).

The report of Bird Life International does not specifically list the reasons of threats in these areas.

- (c)to(e) No specific report has been received in the Ministry regarding decrease in the arrival of migratory birds in various locations in the country. Several factors, including biotic and abiotic, favourable conditions in countries of origin and the routes of migratory birds, affects the arrival of birds in India. However, steps have been taken for creating favourable conditions for migratory birds. The  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972  provides  for  declaration  of  Protected Areas for various objectives including propagating or developing wildlife or its  environment.  Under  these  provisions,  a  network  of  Protected  Areas  has been established in the country. A total of 117 Sanctuaries have a focus on protection and development of birds including migratory birds.

Many  wetlands  are  utilized  by  migratory  birds  during  the  migration.  The Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  notified  the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010, for better protection of  wetlands  in  the  country.  India  is  also  a  contracting  Party  to  the  Ramsar Convention  on  Wetlands  and  25  wetlands  in  India  have  been  notified  as Ramsar sites.

Further, the Ministry provides financial assistance to States/Union Territories for protection and conservation of wild animals and birds including migratory birds and their habitats under various Centrally  Sponsored Schemes viz, 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project Tiger', and 'Project Elephant'.

Details of funds released to State/ Union Territory Governments under these Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  during  last  financial  year  is  given  in  the Annexure.

****

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) AND (d) OF THE LOK  SABHA SHRI GOPAL SHETTY AND  SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN DUE FOR REPLY ON

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1394  REGARDING 'BIO-DIVERSITY AREAS' BY 8.12.2015

## Details of funds released to State/ UT Governments under these Centrally Sponsored Schemes of 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats' (IDWH) 'Project Tiger' and 'Project Elephant' during 2014-15

(Rs. in lakhs)

|    | State/UT          | Name of Centrally Sponsored Schemes   | Name of Centrally Sponsored Schemes   | Name of Centrally Sponsored Schemes   |
|----|-------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|    |                   | IDWH                                  | Project Tiger                         | Project Elephant                      |
| 1  | A& N Islands      | 00                                    | -                                     | -                                     |
| 2  | Andhra Pradesh    | 63.31                                 | 184.141                               | 13.523                                |
| 3  | Arunachal Pradesh | 00                                    | 658.426                               | 97.714                                |
| 4  | Assam             | 149.11                                | 1509.389                              | 236.664                               |
| 5  | Bihar             | 85.249                                | 317.096                               | -                                     |
| 6  | Chandigarh        | 00                                    | -                                     | -                                     |
| 7  | Chhattisgarh      | 482.087                               | 609.827                               | 43.7456                               |
| 8  | Goa               | 00                                    | -                                     | -                                     |
| 9  | Gujarat           | 634.94                                | -                                     | -                                     |
| 10 | Haryana           | 14.71                                 | -                                     | -                                     |
| 11 | Himachal Pradesh  | 430.345                               | -                                     | -                                     |
| 12 | Jammu &Kashmir    | 506.761                               | -                                     | -                                     |
| 13 | Jharkhand         | 101.12                                | 199.08                                | 88.4256                               |
| 14 | Karnataka         | 483.7769                              | 1565.773                              | 225.319                               |
| 15 | Kerala            | 818.491                               | 517.5351                              | 236.72                                |
| 16 | Madhya Pradesh    | 371.354                               | 4335.118                              | -                                     |
| 17 | Maharashtra       | 402.723                               | 3425.524                              | 38.202                                |
| 18 | Manipur           | 129.192                               | -                                     | -                                     |
| 19 | Meghalaya         | 44.87                                 | -                                     | 118.838                               |
| 20 | Mizoram           | 131.54134                             | 232.189                               | -                                     |
| 21 | Nagaland          | 85.155                                |                                       | 44.8132                               |
| 22 | Odisha            | 350.3229                              | 707.391                               | 153.35                                |
| 23 | Puducherry        | 12.00                                 | -                                     | -                                     |
| 24 | Rajasthan         | 367.296                               | 627.192                               | -                                     |
| 25 | Sikkim            | 169.15643                             | -                                     | -                                     |
| 26 | Tamil Nadu        | 280.626                               | 864.316                               | 251.208                               |
| 27 | Tripura           | 00                                    | 00                                    | 6.03                                  |
| 28 | Uttar Pradesh     | 224.899                               | 760.928                               | 5.16                                  |
| 29 | Uttarakhand       | 141.116                               | 391.1941                              | 103.908                               |
| 30 | West Bengal       | 108.847                               | 596.882                               | 103.814                               |
|    | TOTAL             | 6588.99857                            | 17502.00                              | 1767.4344                             |