Center revises wildlife law, ‘dilutes’ states’ powers

With the Wildlife Conservation (Amendment) Act 2022 coming into force on April 1, some environmental activists have raised concerns about certain amendments to existing bills

Warangal: With the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act 2022 coming into force on April 1, some environmental activists have raised concerns about certain amendments to the existing bill.

Speaking of’Telangana today‘, former District Forest Officer (DFO) and Vana Seva Samithi member K Purushotham said the coalition government had amended Section 6 and taken over some powers from the state government by setting up a standing committee of the State Wildlife Commission. “Setting up a standing committee would usurp the power of the state government,” he said.

He also found that the center allowed the use of elephants for religious or any other purpose. “The use of elephants for religious purposes as part of our cultural program may be acceptable, but the term ‘any other purpose’ makes it ambiguous and could lead to legal disputes,” he said.

“The amendment ignores the recommendations of the MoEFCC Elephant Task Force-2010 report which clearly states that most captive elephants are born in the wild but are used in circuses and tourist entertainment, alms by street beggars, attending private/religious Festivals and other purposes of religious trusts/institutions. Here, ‘any other purpose’ is blanket permission to trade live elephants, which goes against earlier strict bans on wildlife trade,” he said.

“Section 49E has been inserted to create a ‘government body’ to facilitate the central government, but state governments do not have any role contrary to wild animals, which are in the concurrent list,” he said, expressing opposition to the reduction of government powers concerns of the state government.

The former DFO also said that the new bill does not mention addressing serious human-animal conflicts, and there are no specific regulations on ecologically sensitive areas in the newly revised bill.

“Reducing the schedule from six to four, with the pest declaration right held by the central government, goes against the state government’s advice,” he said.

Pests are animals that threaten people, crops, livestock or property. These animals are considered pests and any species declared a pest can be hunted or culled without any restrictions. Another environmental activist and Vana Seva Samithi founder, Potlapally Veerabhadra Rao, expressed similar views and accused the central government of undermining the power of the state governments.