Description

Source: IE

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context:

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired his 1st ever meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on March 3, 2025. It also coincided with World Wildlife Day.
The meeting was held at Gir National Park in Gujarat.
During the meeting many important conservation initiatives were reviewed, including:
- - New projects for the conservation of gharials (a type of crocodile) and the Great Indian Bustard (a bird species).
  - Expansion of Project Cheetah & Project Lion to protect endangered species.

The NBWL was established in 2003, following changes to The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
It replaced the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL), which was created in 1952.
Purpose: The NBWL was set up to make wildlife protection more effective by giving the body legal powers to enforce wildlife laws and policies.
Chairperson: Prime Minister of India.
Vice-Chairperson: Union Environment Minister.

The NBWL is responsible for making national policies related to wildlife conservation and forest protection.
National Parks & Sanctuaries: The board also recommends the creation of new national parks & wildlife sanctuaries.
Members: The NBWL has 47 members.
These include high ranking officials (Chief of the Army Staff, Secretaries from various ministries, Members of Parliament, and conservation experts)

The NBWL has a standing committee that handles important tasks (reviewing development projects near protected wildlife areas)
Decision making: The standing committee’s recommendations are not final. Ministry of Environment can choose to overrule them.

Controversial Approvals: The NBWL has faced criticism for approving development projects in areas near wildlife habitats, such as:
- - The Ken Betwa river linking project which will affect Panna National Park.
  - An oil exploration project by Vedanta in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary. It is home to the endangered Hoolock Gibbon.
  - The denotification of the Galathea Bay Sanctuary in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is a nesting site for leatherback sea turtles.
Standing Committee Issues: Since 2014, the standing committee has met 50 times without the required number of conservation experts & NGO representatives.
This has raised concerns about the board’s effectiveness.

Do you know :

●Before the NBWL, Indian Board for Wildlife was formed in 1952 to address the decline in wildlife populations.

●The first meeting of the IBWL took place in Mysore in 1952, and it was chaired by Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the Maharaja of Mysore.

●Key Actions:

The peacock was declared India’s national bird in 1961.
The Wildlife Protection Act (1972) was introduced which laid the foundation for national parks & the Project Tiger initiative in 1973.

●The IBWL did not meet for 9 years between 1988 and 1997.

●In 1997 PM HD Deve Gowda chaired an IBWL meeting to address issues like poaching & the tiger crisis.

●In 2005, Tiger Task Force was created to address the growing threats to tiger populations.

Source: IE

Q.What was the original name of the body before the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) was established?

A) Indian Wildlife Protection Council
B) Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL)
C) National Wildlife Protection Authority
D) Wildlife Advisory Committee

Answer: B) Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL)

Explanation :

●Before the NBWL, Indian Board for Wildlife was formed in 1952 to address the decline in wildlife populations.

●The first meeting of the IBWL took place in Mysore in 1952, and it was chaired by Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the Maharaja of Mysore.

●Key Actions:

The peacock was declared India’s national bird in 1961.
The Wildlife Protection Act (1972) was introduced which laid the foundation for national parks & the Project Tiger initiative in 1973.