TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: Violations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and the Forest Rights Act have exacerbated conflicts in Tiger Reserves between the forest bureaucracy and forest-dwellers.
EXPLANATION:
Project Tiger and Tiger Reserves:
- Project Tiger was launched in 1973.
- It aimed at conserving India’s tiger population by establishing Tiger Reserves.
- Over time, these reserves have expanded significantly, growing from nine reserves covering 9,115 sq. km to 54 reserves across 18 states.
- It encompasses 78,135.956 sq. km.
- Using camera-trap methods, the tiger population is estimated to be between 3,167-3,925.
- It showcased a growth rate of 6.1% annually and positioning India as a global tiger stronghold, housing approximately 75% of the world’s tigers.
- The Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA) of 1972 laid the groundwork for protected areas, such as National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
- The subsequent introduction of Project Tiger led to the statutory establishment of Tiger Reserves in 2006.
- This period also saw the creation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the identification of Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) within the reserves.
Conflicts Between Conservation and Forest-Dwellers’ Rights:
- The establishment of CTHs, designated for tiger-centric conservation, has created tension between the forest bureaucracy and forest-dwelling communities.
- These conflicts stem from the Forest Rights Act (FRA) recognizing traditional forest rights, including those within Tiger Reserves, resulting in disputes over land usage and increased instances of human-wildlife conflict.
Rushed Notifications and Implementation Challenges:
- Notifications for Tiger Reserves and CTHs were issued hastily, covering 91.77% of the notified area without adequate consultations or considerations for forest-dwellers’ rights.
- This rushed approach has led to long-term repercussions, where both tigers and forest-dwellers find themselves in a complex situation, heightening the potential for conflict.
Relocation and Rehabilitation Issues:
- WLPA and FRA regulations outline the complexities involved in relocating forest-dwellers from CTHs.
- While the law mandates informed consent and fair compensation, the actual implementation often falls short, failing to provide adequate support, compensation, and rehabilitation packages to affected families.
Environmental Clearances and Legal Complexities:
- Issues arise concerning wildlife clearances for basic public utilities permitted under FRA.
- The Union Environment Ministry’s insistence on wildlife clearances for these utilities from National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries creates legal complications, posing hurdles for forest-dwelling communities’ rights.
- With a growing emphasis on tiger conservation and the development of tiger corridors, the conflict between conservation objectives and forest-dwellers’ rights is expected to intensify.
- This trend may result in heightened tensions and increased discord in India’s tiger habitats.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA), 1972:
- It is the first act which for the first time concluded a comprehensive list of the country’s endangered wildlife.
- Act prohibited the hunting of endangered species.
- Scheduled animals are prohibited from being traded as per the Act’s provisions.
- The Act provides for licenses for the sale, transfer, and possession of some wildlife species.
- It provides for the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, etc.
- Conservation reserves:
- Under the Act, state governments may declare areas adjacent to national parks and sanctuaries as a conservation reserve, for protecting flora and fauna, and their habitat.
- Inclusion in CITES:
- It helped India become a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
- CITES is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.
- Provision of Schedules:
- The Act created six schedules which gave varying degrees of protection to classes of flora and fauna.
- Schedule I and Schedule II (Part II) get absolute protection, and offences under these schedules attract the maximum penalties.
- The schedules also include species that may be hunted.
- Penalties:
- (Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act):
- Offences committed in connection with the animal described in Schedule-I or Part-II of Schedule-II where the offence was related to hunting in the sanctuary or a national park or exchange in the territory of a sanctuary or a national park.
- Such an offence shall be punishable by imprisonment not less than three years but up to seven years and a fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees.
- (Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act):
Conclusion:
- The interplay between wildlife conservation goals, legislative frameworks, and the rights of forest-dwelling communities within Tiger Reserves poses significant challenges.
- Striking a balance between conservation efforts and the rights and livelihoods of forest-dwelling communities necessitates a more inclusive and thoughtful approach to ensure sustainable coexistence.