KERALA ASSEMBLY URGES WILDLIFE ACT AMENDMENT
Why in the News?
- Kerala Assembly unanimously adopts a resolution urging the Central government to amend the Wildlife Protection Act.
- The resolution, tabled by Forest Minister, addresses the pressing issue of human-wildlife conflicts in the state.
Source: Indian Express
About Key Demands:
- The resolution calls for amendments empowering Chief Forest Conservators to use lethal force against wildlife posing imminent threats.
- It requests the Centre to implement scientific and humane measures for wildlife population control in areas bordering human habitations.
- Emphasizing the need for contemporary measures to eliminate wildlife threats to citizens, crops, and livestock.
About Wildlife Protection Act 1972
· The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, establishes legal provisions for protecting wild animals, plants, and their habitats, and regulates trade related to them. · It categorizes species into schedules for varying levels of protection. · Constitutional Provisions: o The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, shifted wildlife protection to the Concurrent List. o Article 51 A (g) and Article 48 A, emphasize citizens’ duty to protect the environment and state responsibility for wildlife conservation. |