Environmental Policies and Practices

Q.3. Write briefly about the constitutional provisions of Wildlife Protection Act. 

Ans. Introduction: The Wildlife Act was passed in 1972 to protect the wildlife and their habitats. The habitat destruction due to agriculture, industries, urbanisation and other human activities had led to the erosion of the country's wildlife.

1. Objectives of WPA:

(i) Prohibition of hunting 

(ii) Protection and management of wildlife habitats

(iii) Establishment of protected areas 

(iv) Regulation and control of trade in parts and products derived from wildlife

(v) Management of zoos

2. Salient features/provisions of the Act: 

(i) Prohibition: Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (WI.PA) prohibits the injuring destroying and removing any part of a wild animals body

(ii) Forbids: In the case of wild birds and reptiles, the act also forbids disturbing or damaging their eggs.

(iii) Taxidermy: Wildlife Protection Act is also against taxidermy, which is the preservation of a dead wild animal as a trophy, or in the form of rugs, preserved skins, antlers, horns, eggs, teeth, and nails.

(iv) Authority: It provides for the appointment of wildlife advisory Board, Wildlife warden, their powers, duties etc.

(v) Endangered List: Under the Act, comprehensive listing of endangered wildlife species was done for the first time and prohibition of hunting of the endangered species was mentioned. 

(vi) Ban: The act imposes a ban on the trade or commerce in scheduled animals.

3. Drawbacks of the Act: Some of the major drawbacks of the Act include mild penalty to offenders, illegal wildlife trade in J & K. personal ownership certificate for animal articles like tiger and leopard skins, no coverage of foreign endangered wildlife, pitiable condition of wildlife in mobile zoos and little emphasis on protection of plant genetic resources.

4. Penalties:

The existing wildlife law has provisions of penalties ranging from Rs.500 to Rs. 25,000 for violation of the law. To deter poachers, the draft law recommends higher penalties ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs.50 lakhs.