Coimbatore: The Centre is considering the
introduction of a comprehensive legislation to protect three
biodiversity hotspots in the Himalayas, North East and Western
Ghats, besides amending the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 to
check poaching of tigers.
Announcing this here today, Union Environment and Forests
Minister Jairam Ramesh said the Ministry is holding talks with
state governments to bring in the law as tourism activities --
leisure tourism or religious tourism -- have an "adverse
impact" on their biodiversity and ecological balance.
"I am determined to protect the ecology since unbridled
tourism is disturbing the balance," he said when his attention
was drawn to widespread damage caused by heavy rain and
resultant landslips in Nilgiris district last week.
The minister observed that poaching of tigers has become
a serious issue and said the Ministry decided to amend the
Wildlife Act to make punishment for such crimes very
stringent, on the lines of Foreign Exchange and Money
Laundering Act.
India's tiger population is around 1,200 to 1,400. Of the
37 tiger reserves across the country, "nine are in good shape,
12 are satisfactory and remaining 16 in precarious condition",
he said.
On non-clearance of Neutrino Observatory project mooted
at Sinkona in Nilgiris, he said the Ministry took the decision
only after hearing all arguments and examining a report from a
technical expert.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, November 22, 2009, 18:02