Environment and Ecology Conservation in India

Reference

On the issue of ecological crisis and environmental degradation in India, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh presented the details of the efforts made by the Government of India for environmental protection in the Rajya Sabha.

Environment and Ecology Conservation in India

Conservation of Endangered Plants

• According to the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), 2970 plant species currently found in India are listed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
  • Of these, there are critically endangered (155), endangered (274), vulnerable (213) and near threatened (80) species for which conservation measures are being taken by BSI and other related institutions.
  • Over 2043 species are classified as 'least concern' and do not require immediate conservation measures.

Conservation of endangered species

• According to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), at present, 7076 species of animals from India are listed in various categories of the IUCN Red List, which require conservation.
  • Out of the IUCN Red List, 3739 species are protected under various schedules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and other species are protected under the country's protected area network.
• Through ex-situ conservation, BSI conserves the species listed in the IUCN Red List and other plants in its 16 botanical gardens located in different phyto-geographical regions of the country.

Conservation of Marine Species

• A network of protected areas has been created in the coastal states and islands of the country under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for conservation of marine species.
• 106 coastal and marine sites have been identified and marked as Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas (ICMBA) for conservation of marine species.
• Several endangered marine species have been included in Schedule I and II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, providing them protection from hunting.
• The National Sea Turtle Action Plan is underway with the objective of conservation of sea turtles and their habitats in India.

Effective implementation of various rules and regulations

• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 has been amended to empower the Indian Coast Guard to enter, search, arrest and detain in case of violation of the provisions of the Act.
• The 'Marine Megafauna Stranding Management Guidelines' have been issued in 2021 for the management of marine megafauna.
• The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019 promulgated under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 has given special attention to Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA).
  • such as mangroves, seagrass beds, sand dunes, coral reefs, biologically active mudflats, turtle nesting grounds and crab habitats.

Wetland Conservation

Awareness Spread

World Wetlands Day is observed at the national level on 2 February every year to spread awareness among all sections of the society about the values ​​and use of wetlands.

Designated Ramsar Sites

• By June, 2024, there are 82 wetlands in the country which have been designated as Ramsar sites of international importance.
• The Government has declared 80 Ramsar sites, 45 Biodiversity Heritage Sites in 16 States, Coastal Regulation Zone of 7517 km in mainland India, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep for conservation of wetlands.
• Many freshwater wetlands have been notified as protected areas under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 have been notified for conservation and management of wetlands and comprehensive guidelines have been published for its implementation.

Various Schemes and Programmes

• Measures such as habitat restoration for mangroves in maritime states and afforestation in sensitive forest ecosystems have been taken.
• For conservation and management of wetlands, a centrally sponsored scheme called National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) is being implemented.
• The “Indian Wetlands Portal” (indianwetlands.in) has been launched to facilitate knowledge sharing and information dissemination on wetlands.