Maharashtra wildlife board reconstituted 8 months after new govt formation

Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s approval for brand spanking new members led to the reconstitution of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), which is empowered to train its powers beneath the Wildlife Act, 1972, on Tuesday late night.

The new-look 29-member Board was shaped eight months after the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) authorities, comprising coalition companions, the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress, got here to energy beneath the management of CM Thackeray.

SBWL authorities had final met in December 2018 and in consequence, a number of key choices, together with translocation of massive cats, the destiny of big-ticket growth initiatives, and wildlife mitigation measures, have been on maintain over the previous 18 months.

On Tuesday night, the Maharashtra authorities introduced and revealed a authorities decision (GR) that the CM can be the chairman of the board, whereas forest minister Sanjay Rathore can be the vice-chairman.

Nitin Kakodkar, the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) (wildlife), was appointed the member-secretary of SBWL, which has a hard and fast three-year tenure, beginning July 7.

HT had reported on May 17 that the state chief wildlife warden had written to the Maharashtra authorities, drawing its consideration to an instantaneous reconstitution of SBWL.

The physique is answerable for taking key conservation-related and policymaking choices for all 42 wildlife sanctuaries, together with six tiger reserves, 5 nationwide parks, and guarded forests in Maharashtra.

It additionally points clearances for growth initiatives, suggests wildlife mitigation measures and is the recommending physique for notification of recent protected areas.

SBWL is the nodal authority that takes choices on main analysis initiatives in wildlife zones.

“It’s an important body for all wildlife-related activities in the state. The reconstituted Board will give an impetus to wildlife conservation in Maharashtra,” stated Kakodkar.

However, no date has been introduced for the primary assembly of the new-look Board.

“We hope a meeting is convened urgently to take several pending decisions on the lines of similar exercises that are being undertaken by National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), via video-conference links because of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic,” he added.

SBWL’s remaining suggestions on key growth initiatives similar to Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet prepare; wildlife mitigation measures for Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway (Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg); the 126-kilometre (km) Virar-Alibag multi-modal hall; railways’ devoted Delhi-Mumbai freight hall; Goregaon-Mulund tunnel, which can cross by the boundaries of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary; and two interstate irrigation initiatives between Maharashtra and Telangana — Pranahita Chevella and Chanaka-Korata – have all been pending since December 2018.

Other members of the SBWL embody minister for atmosphere and tourism Aditya Thackeray; minister of state (forests) Dattatraya Bharane; and Dheeraj Deshmukh, a member of the Maharashtra legislative meeting (MLA).

Environmentalist Bittu Sahgal from Mumbai; Kishor Rithe from Amravati; Anuj Khare from Pune; Vishwas Katdare from Ratnagiri; Kundan Hate from Nagpur; Suhas Waingankar from Kolhapur, amongst others, symbolize the non-government members of SBWL.

Besides, there’s a consultant every from the MoEFCC; Maharashtra Police; Indian Army; Zoological Survey of India (ZSI); Botanical Survey of India; Bombay Natural History Society; Wildlife Institute of India; Wildlife Conservation Trust; and commissioners of each state fisheries and animal husbandry departments.

“SBWL is the highest wildlife policymaking body in the state. Maharashtra has followed several good practices since 2010 while dealing with the negative impacts of infrastructure projects. The new-look SBWL will take this work forward. Besides, CM Thackeray himself is a keen wildlife lover,” stated Rithe, a non-government member of the Board.