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National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), Functions and Composition

Context: In its first post-election meeting, the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has cleared various projects. Projects include controversial transmission line projects in Little Rann of Kutch and Mollem National Park.

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)

  • Formation: In 2003 (Statutory Body under Wildlife Protection Act,1972)
  • Composition:
    • Chairperson: The Prime Minister of India
    • Vice-Chairperson: The Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
    • Members – 47
      • Members of Parliament (3): 2 (Lok Sabha) + 1 (Rajya Sabha)
      • 5 representatives from NGOs.
      • 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists and environmentalists.
      • Other Members
  • Standing Committee of NBWL:
    • Chairman: The Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
    • Members: Up to 10 members nominated by the Vice-Chairperson from the NBWL’s members
    • It meets every 3.

Functions of NBWL

  • Advises the central and state governments on policies and programs for wildlife conservation and development.
  • Prevent the illegal trade of wildlife and its products & control poaching activities.
  • Recommends the establishment of national parks, sanctuaries, and other protected areas.
  • It has the power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
Fact
No Alteration of boundaries in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries can be done without the approval of the National Board for Wildlife.

Protected Areas in News

Mollem National Park (GOA)

  • Location: Western Ghats of Goa, India, near the town of Molem, 35 miles east of Panaji.
  • Vegetation: tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, and moist deciduous forests.
  • Biodiversity:
    • Fauna: Leopard, Bengal tiger, bonnet macaque, gaur, Malabar giant squirrel, porcupine, slender loris.
    • Avifauna: Greater Indian hornbill, ruby-throated yellow bulbul (the state bird of Goa).
  • Waterfalls: It includes Dudhsagar Falls and Tambdi Falls.
  • Dhangar: It is home to a community of nomadic buffalo herders called the Dhangar.

Wild Ass Sanctuary

  • Location: The sanctuary is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India.
  • Wildlife:
    • It is home to the only wild population of the Indian Wild Ass (Khur), a subspecies of the Asiatic Wild Ass.
    • Other Fauna: blue bull, hare, wolf, Indian fox, jackal, hyena, wild boar, desert cat etc.
  • Tribes: It is home to a large population of Rabari and Bharwad tribes.
  • Threats: Illegal Salt Panning
Did You Know?
  • Mollem National Park: Goa
  • Mouling National Park: Arunachal Pradesh
  • Murlen National Park: Mizoram

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