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Environmental Organizations In India: Biodiversity, Conservation, Welfare |
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR ANIMAL: ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA (AWBI)
- Established in 1962 + HQ: Ballabgarh in Haryana (earlier based at Chennai), stands as a significant environmental organization.
- Key person: Rukmini Devi Arundale (also the 1st Chairperson of AWBI).
- AWBI is a statutory advisory body under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
- Functions: It advises governments on the matters related to Animal welfare + Provides grants to Animal Welfare organizations.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR ZOO: CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY (CZA)
- This environmental organization was established in 1992 (HQ: New Delhi)
- CZA is a statutory body + under 1991 Amendment to Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 + under MoEF&CC.
- Objectives: To complement the national effort in conservation of wildlife + To maintain Indian Zoos on par with International standards + Exchange of animals between Indian and foreign zoos.
- The Authority consists: Chairman: Minister of Environment + 10 members & a member Secretary.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR FOREST: FOREST SURVEY OF INDIA (FSI)
- This environmental organization was established in 1981 + HQ: Dehradun in Uttarakhand + under MoEF & CC.
- It started as ‘Pre-Investment Survey of Forest Resources (PISFR)’ in 1965 before re-organized as FSI in 1981.
- Objective: to conduct survey and assessment of forest resources.
- Forest Survey Report: Released by FSI since 1987, biennially (once in two years).
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (BSI)
- Established in 1890 (under the direction of Sir George King) + HQ: Kolkata + under MoEF & CC.
- BSI is the apex taxonomic research organization of the country.
- Mandate: biosystematics research, floristic studies, documentation of flora, digitization of herbarium specimens, & advisory services etc.,
- BSI publishes ‘Red Data Book of Indian Plants’.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (ZSI)
- Established in 1916 + HQ: Kolkata + under MoEF & CC
- Objective: to promote the survey, exploration and research of the fauna.
- The history of ZSI goes back to Asiatic Society of Bengal founded by Sir William Jones in 1784.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY AUTHORITY (NBA)
- Established in 2003 + HQ: Chennai + under MoEF & CC
- NBA is a statutory body under Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- The act was enacted to give effect-to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (India signed it in 1992)
- Mandate: to perform regulatory & advisory functions for the GoI on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources.
- NBA supports creation of State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs).
- Biodiversity Heritage Sites: Notified by State Governments in consultation with local bodies.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: WILDLIFE CRIME CONTROL BUREAU (WCCB)
- Established in 2006 + HQ: New Delhi + under MoEF & CC
- WCCB is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (WPA 2006, Amendment).
- Have five regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai & Jabalpur.
- Objective: to combat organized wildlife crime
- Additional Director General (Wild Life) is the ex-officio director of the WCCB.
- WCCB is the nodal point for SAWEN (South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network) in India.
- WCCB has conducted: Operation Save Kurma, ThunderBird, Wild-Net, Lesknow, Birbil, Clean Art
- It also assists & advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of WPA, CITES & EXIM Policy.
- UNEP has awarded WCCB with ‘Asia Environment Enforcement Awards’ in 2018.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONAL PLAN FOR CONSERVATION OF AQUATIC ECO-SYSTEMS (NPCA)
- NPCA was launched in 2013 by merging National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) and National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP)
- Objective: Holistic conservation & restoration of lakes, wetlands to enhance water quality besides improving biodiversity and the ecosystem.
- NPCA is presently operational on cost sharing between Central and respective state governments.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONAL GANGA RIVER BASIN AUTHORITY
- Established in 2009 + HQ: New Delhi + under Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Mandate: Abatement of pollution & conservation of the river Ganga.
- The NGRBA is chaired by the Prime Minister
- Members include: Union Ministers concerned, the Chief Ministers of the States through which Ganga flows.
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILDLIFE (NBWL)
- Established in 2003 + HQ: New Delhi + under MoEF & CC
- It replaced the ‘Indian Board for Wildlife’, which was formed in 1952 as an advisory board.
- NBWL is a statutory body constituted under the WPA, 1972.
- NBWL Composition: Chairperson: the Prime Minister | Vice-Chair: Minister of Environment | 45 other members including 19 ex-officio members, 3 MPs (2 from LS & 1 from RS), 5 NGOs.
- Objective: To promote the conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
- It has power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
- No alteration of boundaries in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries can be done without approval of the NBWL
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY (NTCA)
- Established in 2006 + HQ: New Delhi + under MoEF & CC
- NTCA is a statutory body constituted under the WPA, 1972 (Amendment Act, 2006).
- Chairperson: Minister of Environment.
- It provides statutory authority to Project Tiger.
- Addresses the livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.
- State level Steering Committees will be set up in the Tiger States under the Chairmanship of respective Chief Ministers.
