The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife is likely to form a sub-committee to review agendas at least three days in advance of the NBWL meetings, minutes of the board’s April 15 meeting have shown.
The decision was taken after the seventh meeting of the board in March, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“No proposal shall be taken for consideration in the meetings of the Standing Committee received within less than three days before the meeting date. This would ensure better preparation and facilitate more meaningful discussions,” the SC-NBWL has decided, the minutes of NBWL’s meeting dated April 15, showed. HT has seen a copy of the minutes.
“A small sub-committee may be formed to review agendas at least three days in advance of meetings… In conclusion, a structured, collaborative, and multi-stakeholder approach is essential for effective conservation planning. The initiatives undertaken in this regard shall be instrumental in shaping long-term environmental policies and sustainable development practices,” the minutes added.
The standing committee, chaired by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, discussed announcements made by PM during the 7th National Board for Wild Life on March 3. PM is the ex-officio chairperson of the NBWL, a statutory body that advises the Union government on wildlife conservation.
Apart from progress on various projects announced by PM Modi, the SC-NBWL discussed infrastructure planning in forested and urban areas.
“The impact of infrastructure development on species such as tigers and leopards must be carefully evaluated to ensure long-term ecological sustainability. Every decision shall be backed by thorough analysis and expert input, ensuring that environmental concerns are effectively balanced with developmental needs. Moreover, the conservation strategy must incorporate perspectives from multiple stakeholders, including local communities, revenue authorities, and urban planners. Without such an integrated approach, conservation efforts may face challenges in execution,” the minutes said.
The first major announcement pertains to the establishment of the National Referal Centre for Wildlife. The project will be implemented by Central Zoo Authority (CZA), which has the expertise and mandate to develop and manage such facilities.
Another important initiative is the establishment of a Centre for Excellence in Human-Wildlife Conflict Management.
“Given the increasing incidents of human-wildlife interactions, this center shall focus on research, mitigation strategies, and policy recommendations to effectively address conflicts between humans and wildlife. The project will be implemented by the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History. There is a proposal for Wildlife Management Interventions, which shall encompass a range of measures aimed at improving conservation efforts, habitat protection, and species recovery programs. The nodal agency for this could be Wildlife Institute of India,” the standing committee decided.
For promotion of ecotourism, adventure tourism and homestays, Indian Institute for Forest Management (IIFM) has been identified as nodal institute. NTCA is already working on a scheme regarding tiger outside tiger reserves. NTCA along with International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) would work for organizing global summit towards the end of 2025, the minutes state.
Since March 2023, 535 recommendation letters were issued; 186 permissions were granted related to projects in wildlife areas; 27 were rejected; 161 proposals are under consideration and 1379 proposals are pending as per dashboard on Parivesh 2.0 portal on Friday.