WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN INDIA
Overview of wildlife in India- India is home to about 60-70% of the world’s biodiversity
- India has about 7.6% of all mammalian, 12.6% of avian, 6.2% of reptilian and 6.0% of flowering plant species
- India contains 172 (around 2.9%) of the world’s threatened species
- Famous mammals in Indian wildlife: Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Indian Rhinoceros, Wild Asian Water Buffalo etc
- Large-scale conservation efforts now underway
- Protected areas in India cover 4.5% of territory
Recent extinctions
- Indian/Asian Cheetah
- Javan Rhinoceros
- Sumatran Rhinoceros
- Pink-headed duck
- Himalayan Quail
PROTECTED AREAS IN INDIA
- National Parks
- India currently has 96 national parks, with plans to expand it to 166
- Oldest National Park: Jim Corbett National Park (1935)
- Newest National Park: Chandoli National Park, Maharashtra (2004). Part of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
- Wildlife Sanctuary
- India has over 500 wildlife sanctuaries
- Among these are 28 Tiger Reserves governed by Project Tiger
- Biosphere Reserves
- Protect larger areas of natural habitat than National Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries
- Often include one or more National Parks inside the Reserve
- Includes buffer zone that are open for nominal economic use
- Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna in the Reserve but also to habiting human communities and their ways of life
- There are 15 Biosphere Reserves in India
- 7 of the 15 are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves
- Reserved Forests and Protected Forests
- Declared by the state governments (unlike Wildlife Sanctuaries or National Parks)
- These are forested lands where human activity (like hunting, logging, grazing etc) may be permitted on a sustainable basis
- The key difference between Reserved Forests and Protected Forests is that in Reserved Forests explicit permission is required for such activities whereas in Protected Forests such activities are permitted unless explicitly prohibited
- Village Forests and Panchayat Forests
- Forested lands administered by a village or a panchayat on a sustainable basis
- The flora, fauna and habitat are accorded some degree of protection by the community
- Private Protected Areas
- Regions owned by an individual or an organization not affiliated to the government
- Not legally protected by the government; however, NGO’s and land trust help in conservation
- Most private protected areas before Independence were used as royal hunting grounds by the Princely States; they were absorbed as Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks following Independence
- Prominent Private Protected Areas managed by the Wildlife Trust of India include
- Siju-Rewak Corridor (Garo Hills, Meghalaya): a protected migration corridor between the Siju Wildlife Sanctuary and the Rewak Reserved Forest. Caters to Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard and Himalayan Black Bear
- Tirunelli-Kudrakote Corridor (Kerala): a protected migration corridor for India’s largest elephant population between the Tirunelli Reserved Forest and the Kudrakote Reserved Forest
- Conservation Areas
- Large, well-designated areas where landscape conservation is undergoing, and contains different kinds of constituent protected lands as well as privately owned lands
- These were primarily part of a joint Indo-US project on landscape management and protection. The project ran from 1996 to 2002
BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN INDIA
| S. No. | Reserve | Established | State | Notes |
| 1 | Gyan Bharti Reserve | 2008 | Gujarat | Largest Biosphere Reserve in India |
| 2 | Amarkantak | 2005 | Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh | |
| 3 | Agasthyamalai | 2001 | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | UNESCO World Heritage Site Protects the tiger, Asian Elephant, Nilgiri Tahr Home of the Kanikaran, one of the oldest surviving ancient tribes in the world |
| 4 | Kanchanjunga | 2000 | Sikkim | |
| 5 | Pachmarhi | 1999 | Madhya Pradesh | Notified in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves Leopard, wild boar, muntjac deer, gaur, chital deer, sambar, Rhesus Macaques |
| 6 | Dehang-Debang | 1998 | Arunachal Pradesh | |
| 7 | Dibru-Saikhowa | 1997 | Assam | |
| 8 | Simlipal | 1994 | Orissa | Notified in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves |
| 9 | Gulf of Mannar | 1989 | Tamil Nadu | World Network of Biosphere Reserves Coral Reefs Sharks, Dugongs, Dolphins, Sea Turtles |
| 10 | Sunderbans | 1989 | West Bengal | World Network of Biosphere Reserves UNESCO World Heritage Site (1997) Largest Mangrove forest in the world Home of the Royal Bengal Tiger |
| 11 | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | 1989 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Nicobar scrubfowl, Nicobar long-tailed Macaque, Saltwater crocodile, Giant Leatherback Sea Turtle, Reticulated Python, Giant Robber Crab |
| 12 | Manas | 1989 | Assam | |
| 13 | Nanda Devi | 1988 | Uttarakhand | World Network of Biosphere Reserves UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| 14 | Norkek | 1988 | Meghalaya | World Network of Biosphere Reserves |
| 15 | Nilgiri | 1986 | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka | World Network of Biosphere Reserves Tiger, Asian Elephant, Nilgiri Tahr Under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage Site |
ENDANGERED SPECIES IN INDIA
Critically Endangered- Jenkin’s Shrew
- Malabar Large-spotted Civet: Kerala, Karnatka
- Namdapha Flying Squirrel: NE India
- Pygmy Hog (wild pig): Assam
- Salim Ali’s fruit bat: Tamil Nadu
- Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat: Karnataka, Assam
- Sumatran Rhinoceros: NE India
Other important endangered species
Now the world's rarest monkey, the endangered Golden Langur, is found in the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam
- Asiatic lion
- Asiatic Black bear
- Desert Cat
- Great Indian Rhinoceros
- Golden Leaf Monkey (Golden Langur)
- Kashmir Stag
- Lion-tailed Macaque
- Nilgiri Leaf Monkey
- Indian Elephant
- Nicobar Shrew
- Nilgiri Tahr
- Red Panda
- Wild Water Buffalo
- Woolly Flying Squirrel
SPECIAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS IN INDIA
All wildlife conservation efforts are implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests unless otherwise notedProject Tiger
- First established in 1972 in the Jim Corbett National Park
- First tiger census in 1972 reported existence of only 1827 tigers. By the 1990s tiger population rose to 3500; however, by 2008 it had dropped to 1411.
- By 2005, entire population Sariska Tiger Reserve had been wiped out
- Re-population of Tiger Reserves started in 2008 when Sariska Tiger Reserve received two tigers via a translocation scheme
- 41 Tiger Reserves covering an area over 37000 sq km
- Cover the following tiger habitats
- Shivalik-Terai Conservation Unit
- North-east Conservation Unit
- Sunderbands Conservation Unit
- Central Indian Conservation Unit
- Eastern Ghat Conservation Unit
- Western Ghat Conservation Unit
- Largest Tiger Reserve is the Nagarjuna-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. Established in 1982, it suffers from a poor density of tiger population attributed to left-wing extremism
Project Elephant
- Launched in 1992
- Latest Elephant Reserve is Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnatka (2010/11)
- Currently there are 25 Elephant Reserves covering a land area 58000 sq km
- Largest Elephant Reserve is the Mysore Elephant Reserve in Karnataka (2002)
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN INDIA
Major Issues- India supports 16% of world population in 2.4% of area
- 60% of cultivable land estimated to suffer soil erosion, waterlogging and salinity
- From 1947 to 2002, average per capita availability of water decreased 70%
- Overexploitation of groundwater in Haryana, Punjab and UP
- Net result: rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, increased frequency of drought
- Environmental degradation is estimated to cost the equivalent of 4% of India’s GDP. After environmental corrections, India’s economic growth rate falls down to about 4.5%
- No city in India with population more than 1m distributes water for more than a few hours a day
- Longest duration of supply: Chandigarh (12 hrs/day). Shortest: Rajkot (0.3 hrs/day). Average: 4.3 hrs/day
- Continuous water available in: Jamshedpur (population 570000), Navi Mumbai (for about 50% of its 1m population), Badlapur in Greater Bombay (30% of its population)
- Only 30% of wastewater is treated. Rest flows into rivers or groundwater
Of 3119 cities in India, only 209 have partial wastewater treatment facilities, only 8 have full treatment facilities
- 114 cities dump untreated sewage and partially cremated bodies into the Ganges
- Fecal bacteria in the Ganges is 3000 over safety limit. In the Yamuna it is 10000 times over safety limit
- Around 65% of the rivers had Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) below 3mg/l, while 15% rivers had BOD more than 6mg/l. The situation has been improving over the last decade but remains critical.
- Vehicular emissions cause up to 33% of air pollution in India
- In Bangalore, around 50% of children suffer from asthma
- Consistent haze and smoke is caused in northwestern India due to the burning of biomass
- Almost 50% of cultivable land affected by soil erosion
- Deforestation of Shivalik Hills, Himalayas, Western and Eastern Ghats resulting in frequent floods
- Increased sedimentation of rivers and silting of water reservoirs
- Extensive illegal quarrying and mining
INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN INDIA
ADDRESSING RURAL SANITATION
Community-led Total Sanitation- Public-private partnership
- Introduced in Maharashtra in 2002
- Primarily aims to create Open Defecation Free communities in rural areas
- Communities mobilize themselves to construct latrines and achieve total sanitation
- Currently active in about 2000 gram panchayats over Maharashtra
- Only urban local body where CLTS has been implemented is Kalyani near Calcutta
- Initiated by the Ministry of Rural Development
ADDRESSING WATER DEGRADATION
Ganga Action Plan- Launched by GoI in 1985 to reduce pollution
- 1.0 MLD of sewage treatment targeted
- Plan failed to decrease pollution after spending Rs 900 crore over 15 years. Declared closed in 2000
- Yamuna and Gomati included in GAP Phase II
- Implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
- Launched in 1993 to clean up major rivers
- Involves
- Interception and diversion of sewage
- Sewage treatment plants
- Construction of crematoria and sanitation facilities
- River front development
- Interception and diversion of sewage
- Fully funded by Central government
- Currently covers 37 rivers
- Created sewage treatment capacity of 3070 MLD
- Implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
ADDRESSING LAND DEGRADATION
Programme for Reclamation and Development of Alkali & Acid Soils- Aims to reclaim develop lands affected by alkalinity and acidity and to improve soil fertility
- Area of 0.66 m Ha out of 3.5 m Ha of alkali land reclaimed
- Financed by Union (90%) and State (10%) governments
- Impact
- pH of reclaimed soil decreased from 10.5 to 9.2
- increased paddy yield by two times
- 75% increase in household income
- pH of reclaimed soil decreased from 10.5 to 9.2
- Implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture
- Launched in 1995
- Aims to reclaim land used for shifting agriculture and to encourage these farmers to switch to settled agriculture
- Primarily implemented in NE states, where shifting agriculture is causing acute deforestation
- Scheme is designed to protect and develop the hill slopes through soil and water conservation measures in order to prevent further land degradation
- Fully funded by Central government
- Implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture
ADDRESSING INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION
Action plan for the tannery sector- Chrome recovery: All tannery units in the country to have chrome recovery facility, either individually or on a collective basis. Recovered chromium is to be used in the tanning process
- Waste minimization measures: waste minimization circles to be formed in all tannery clusters. To be made obligatory gradually
- Reduction of water consumption: All tanneries to install water meters. Water consumptions rates to be lowered using waste minimization measures
- Compliance of standards: Installation of automatic monitoring equipment, open anaerobic lagoons to be converted into closed systems with gas recovery, all units to take up environmental auditing on an annual basis
- Management of Total Dissolved Solids: all units to employ cleaner technology for less use of salt, desalting, effluent treatment
- Solid waste management: all units to use process sludge for by-product recovery (esp. biogas), chromium recovery, and safe disposal of hazardous waste
- All units to reuse recovered salts and employ safe disposal measures
- All units to eliminate use of Boron
- Ground water quality monitoring to be strengthened
- Implemented by the CPCB (MoEF)
OTHER INITIATIVES
Environment Atlas- Scheme called State of Environment Atlas launched by Union Govt. in 2002
- Streamlines the process of data collection and reporting regarding the environment
- Objective: to bring out an overview of the environmental scenario of the states and UTs for policy and decision-making
- Implemented by four host institutes: Energy and Resources Inst. New Delhi, Development Alternatives New Delhi, Environment Protection Training Inst. Hyderabad, and Administrative Staff College of India Hyderabad
- Initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
- Nationwide network of 1019 monitoring stations in 27 states and 6 UTs
- Covers rivers, lakes, canals and wells
- Water samples are analysed for chemical and bacteriological parameters, trace metals and pesticides
- Water quality data is reported in the Water Quality Status Year Book
- Established by the Central Pollution Control Board in tandem with state PCBs . Comes under the Ministry of Environment and Forests
- Nationwide network 342 monitoring stations covering 26 states and 4 UTs
- Aims to determine the status and trend of air quality in various cities and to develop measures to correct and prevent air quality deterioration
- Four air pollutants are monitored regularly: sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, Suspended Particulate Matter and Respirable Suspended Marticulate Matter
- Implemented by the CPCB in association with state PCBs. Comes under the Ministry of Environment and Forests
- Launched in 2003
- Created to address unplanned development, poor sanitary conditions and pollution in urban areas
- Aims to provide innovative and unconventional solutions that do not require large financial investment
- Initiated by the CPCB. Comes under the MoEF
ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA: POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND IMPLEMENTATION
Administration- Administered by Ministry of Environment and Forest
- Central Pollution Control Board established to assess and control water and air pollution
- Botanical Survery of India (BSI): established in 1980 for surveying and identifying plant resources
- Zoological Survey of India (ZSI): established in 1916 to survey endangered species and undertake conservation efforts
- Forest Survey of India (FSI): established 1981, to survey forest resources
| Domain | Treaty | Enacted | Objectives | Highlights |
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| Atmosphere | UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) | Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (Earth Summit) | Stablize greenhouse gases levels |
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| Atmosphere | Kyoto Protocol (protocol to UNFCCC) | Kyoto, 1997 | Combat global warming |
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| Atmosphere | Vienna Convention | Vienna, 1985 | Protect ozone layer | |
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| Atmosphere | Montreal Protocol (protocol to Vienna Convention) | Montreal, 1987 | Protect ozone layer |
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| Hazardous substances | Basel Convention | Basel, 1989 | Reduce movement of hazardous waste between nations |
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| Hazardous substances | Rotterdam Convention | Rotterdam, 1998 | Procedures for hazardous chemicals in international trade |
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| Hazardous substances | Stockholm Convention | Stockholm, 2001 | Restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants |
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| Marine Environment | UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) | Jamaica, 1982 | Regulations for national use of oceans |
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| Marine environment | Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources | 1982 | Protect the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica | |
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| Marine environment | International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling | Washington DC, 1946 | Protection from overhunting, regulation of whaling industry |
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| Nature conservation | Antarctic Treaty | Washington DC, 1959 | Regulate international relations wrt Antarctica |
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| Nature conservation | Convention on Biological Diversity | Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (Earth Summit) | Conservation Sustainable use |
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| Nature Conservation | Cartagena Protocol (supplement to CBD) | 2000 | Protect from risk posed by Living Modified Organisms |
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| Nature Conservation | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora | Washington DC, 1973 | Ensure trade in animals and plants does not threaten survival |
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| Nature Conservation | Convention on Wetlands of International Importance | Ramsar (Iran), 1971 | Conservation and sustainable use of wetlands |
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| Nature Conservation | UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) | Paris, 1994 | Combat desertification Mitigate effect of drought |
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| Nuclear Safety | Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, In Outer Space and Underwater (PTBT/LTBT) | Moscow, 1963 | Prohibits all test detonations of nuclear weapons except underground |
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| Nuclear Safety | Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage | Vienna, 1997 | Defines financial liability for nuclear mishaps |
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- National River Conservation Plan
- Prevent river pollution and improve water quality
- Launched in 1985 with Ganges
- Rivers covered: 37
- Pollution load tackled: 3000 MLD
- Prevent river pollution and improve water quality
- Ecomark Scheme of India
- Label environment-friendly products
- Launched in 1991
- Follows a product from raw materials to manufacturing to disposal
- Covers multiple product categories including soaps, paper, food items, lubricating oil etc
- National Afforestation Programme
- Objectives: ecological regeneration, development of water resources, employment generation
- Implemented by Forest Development Agencies and Joint Forest Management Committees
- Objectives: ecological regeneration, development of water resources, employment generation
- National Action Programme to Combat Desertification
- Implements provisions of UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
- Improve quality of life of locals
- Drought preparadness and mitigation
- Assessment and mapping of land degradation
- Overseen by Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur
- India is host country for “Agro forestry and soil conservation in arid, semi arid and dry sub humid areas”
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