Amid reservation from Opposition parties, the Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill which claims to seek better management of protected areas and also provides for certain permitted activities like grazing or movement of livestock and bona fide use of drinking and household water by local communities.
Lok Sabha had already cleared the legislation in August during the Monsoon Session.
The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, which had undergone scrutiny of a parliamentary panel, seeks to conserve and protect wildlife through better management of protected areas and rationalise schedules which list out species under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, was enacted to provide for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants with a view to ensure the ecological and environmental security of the country.
The bill, which was tabled by Environment Minister Bupender Yadav on Wednesday, also sought to include the aspects of "conservation" and "management" of wildlife which are covered by the Act and make amendments for better management of protected areas.
It proposes to rationalise and amend the schedules, which list out wildlife species, for the purposes of clarity, and ensure better care of seized live animals and disposal of seized wildlife parts and products.
The bill further seeks to enable control of invasive alien species and allow for transfer or transport of live elephants by person having ownership certificates in accordance with conditions prescribed by the central government.
However, earlier during the discussion on the Bill in the Upper House, Congress member Jairam Ramesh opposed the bill in "its present form" and expressed apprehension over the provision related to transfer or transport of captive live elephant "for any other purpose", saying it could be misused. He asked the minister to specify the purpose in the Act.
"What is this 'any other purpose'? To provide an elephant for captive zoos in Gujarat? to provide for some private amusement parks in some other state?" Ramesh said, while suggesting that it should have been stated for "cultural and religious" purposes, considering the significance of elephants in such events in many parts of India.
Congress Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar also alleged that real estate sharks and corporates were devastating jungles and using their money and muscle power to avoid legal action. In order to protect wildlife, not only should the laws be strict but their implementation should also be equally stringent, he said.
Sushmita Dev of the All India Trinamool Congress, too, expressed similar sentiments and asked the minister why the Government did not vote against the motion to restart international ivory trade. On the other hand, Praful Patel of the Nationalist Congress Party supported the bill but drew attention towards the need to strike a fine balance between protection of wildlife and growth as man-animal conflict had been growing.