Biodiversity(BD)
The variety(i.e. diversity) of living organisms around us
Significance for India
- One of the 12 mega-diversity countries (~8% of total species in the world found here)
- 10th in world and 4th in Asia w.r.t. plant diversity (~47000 plant species)
- around 89000 animal species
Why so much diversity
Diversity of Physical Environment
- Relief
- Climate
- Temperature
- Precipitation
- Duration of Sunlight
Types of Vegetation
TBD (ncert class 9 ch. 5, savinder singh)
Wildlife
TBD (ncert class 9 ch. 5, savinder singh)
Endangered Species in India
Initiatives not to degrade the BD
At National Level
MoEF is the nodal agency.
Objectives :
1. Conservation of natural resources (out of scope here)
2. Prevention and abatement of pollution (out of scope here)
3. Welfare of animals
Constitutional Provisions
- DPSP : To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forest and wildlife. (Art 48A added by 42nd am.)
- F. Duty : To protect and improve natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.
- Article 21
- 7th Schedule
- Both environment and wildlife were moved to concurrent list by 42nd amendment.
Laws
- Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972)
- 2006 amendment : NTCA, WCCB to monitor and control illegal trade in wildlife
- Biodiversity Act (2002) :
- NBA at Chennai, SSBs at state level and BD Mgmt Committees at each local body level
- Following CBD, India enacted this
- Aims to conserve BD and associated knowledge and equitable sharing of benefit.
- National Biodiversity Fund
- NBA will have the power of a civil court
- provision of notifying Natural Heritage Site
- Indian Forest Act, 1927 and State Forest Acts
- Defined state ownership of forests. Categorized into
- Reservers Forest
- Protected Forest
- Village Forest
- Forest Conservation Act, 1980
Policies
National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) :
- Emphasizes people participation and support for wildlife conservation
National Forest Policy (1998)
Organizations
Botanical Survey of India
- Research org for
- taxonomic and floristic studies
- studies on fragile ecosystems and PAs
- Inventorying endemic and threatened plant species
- evolving conservation strategies
- multiplication and maintenance
- documentation of traditional knowledge
- National database
Zoological Survey of India
Forest Survey of India
- org for assessing
- forest and tree cover
- Estimation of growing stock of wood
Genetic Engg Approval Committee
- Year 1989 : MoEF notified a set of rules
- Objective of these rules : To ensure that R & D of products from LMOs are conducted in a scientific manner
- Genetic Engineering Approval committee was set up. It approves
- activities
- GM crops
- Release of GM foods had been approved but is on hold till Ministry of Health and Family Welfare --> Food Safety and Standard Authority is operational.
National Board for Wildlife
- Chaired by Minister, MoEF
- Gives approval for projects related to wildlife conservation
