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Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Union minister points to man-animal conflict as a key challenge
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav has flagged man-animal conflict and tigers outside tiger reserves as two of the most critical challenges faced by the conservation sector. Bhupender Yadav Speaking at the Indian Conservation Conference hosted by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Yadav said: 'Just two days ago, I went to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. There are two kinds of issues there. First, there is man-animal conflict. Second, tigers outside tiger reserves. This is also a big challenging problem. This problem is also seen in Tadoba... in Kabini... in Ranthambore...,' he said. 'We have also made a decision at the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in the last few days. We will have to revisit our forest management. And, this review will have to be done in the prospect of TN Godavarman judgment. What were the practices of pre-Godavarman judgment? Because we will have to see this problem due to the new pressures on wildlife areas. This is also a problem from Kerala,' Yadav said in his address in Hindi. A Supreme Court verdict in the TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs. Union of India & Others case on December 12, 1996, directed that 'forests' would not only include those understood in the dictionary sense, but also any area recorded as forest in government records irrespective of the ownership. However, the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, exempts 'unrecorded deemed forests' from being recognised under the modified law on forest conservation. 'Tigers in Dudhwa are being seen in sugarcane fields. Or our elephants in Karnataka are entering coffee plantations. Wild boars are destroying crops in other states,' he said. 'The solution is not just wire fencing. Its solution is not just electronic fencing... There is no such solution. We have to go with co-existence, new approaches, with our traditional knowledge. For a long time, documentation and codification of traditional conservation knowledge did not happen,' Yadav added. Yadav gave examples of Soligas in Karnataka, the Meena tribe in Sariska, Maldharis in Gir who have co-existed with wildlife for a long time. 'The tribes in Arunachal Pradesh, have coexisted with elephants for a long time. If you go to the area of Amarkantak, there are people from the Baiga tribe who have extensive knowledge of herbs,' Yadav said. Yadav said that for the first time, on June 30, MoEFCC has organised a conference in Kolkata, on documenting traditional knowledge. Along with a new assessment for wildlife management intervention, the Centre has decided that Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History in Coimbatore will focus on human-wildlife conflict. 'For the future, we have decided to develop it as an institute of human wildlife conflict management. Now we are moving ahead in dolphin conservation, but the way the sand is being excavated from the rivers, or the cutting of the river banks... because of that, the gharial is also likely to face a new problem. And for the conservation of gharial, We have started a new project,' Yadav said. Yadav said that the new conservation policy must have a humanitarian approach. 'I want to say one thing, I am a forest minister, but I am saying this very seriously. If you remove all the locals, is the forest safe? And then If you bring 10,000 tourists later, then is the forest safe? If the forest is safe with the arrival of 10,000 tourists, then how is it bad to have the one living in these forests for thounsands of years?' 'So, we have to add a humanitarian approach to and economy are together. Ecology is the most important. But, the economy is also important,' he added. As per the 5th cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2022 (usually done in cycles of four years) summary report, India has a minimum of 3,167 tigers and is now home to more than 70% of the world's wild tiger population. HT had reported in 2020 that one in every three tigers in India lives outside reserves, according to a report, Status of Tigers, Co-predators and Prey in India (2018). Yadav said that in the last 50 years, India has shown that 70% of the tigers in the world are safe in their habitats. 'They are safe in their habitats in India. From 2014 to 2025, we have moved from 47 to 58 tiger reserves,' Yadav said, adding that every year, despite all the development pressures, India has declared a new area as tiger reserve. 'When we came in 2014, there were only 25 Ramsar wetlands in the country. Today, their number has increased to 91,' he said.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Union forest min inaugurates MME report at ICCON 2025 in Wildlife Institute of India
1 2 3 Dehradun: Union minister of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), Bhupender Yadav, on Wednesday, inaugurated the annual Indian Conservation Conference (ICCON) organised by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Addressing the gathering, minister Yadav said, "India's leadership in biodiversity conservation today is both national and global." The forest minister felicitated the winners of the ICCON 2025 Equipment Grant Awards. He also unveiled the repeat cycle of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of India's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries – a key document assessing India's protected area governance. The MEE evaluation, conducted since 2006, represents a systematic approach to assessing how well PAs are managed and their effectiveness in conserving targeted flora and fauna, while the MEE score is derived from a detailed assessment of factors – including performance and management of these protected areas over time. The report, titled 'Management Effectiveness Evaluation of 438 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India 2020-2025', assessed 438 protected areas (PAs) across different states and union territories (UTs), with an overall mean MEE score of 64.41%, indicating management effectiveness as 'good'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tedd a cipődbe! A 3. napra már leesni kezdett rólam a kedvenc nadrágom! (Sokkot kaptam!) Undo "The first cycle of MEE covered 442 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, with an average score of 60.52%. The repeat cycle, covering 438 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, showed an improvement in management effectiveness, with the average MEE score increasing to 64.41%, highlighting the sustained efforts in enhancing management of our PAs. Additionally, the 113 coastal and marine protected areas (CMPAs) taken up for evaluation mark another milestone in strengthening conservation frameworks in India," the forest minister stated in the report. Of the 438 PAs, "84 PAs were rated as very good, highlighting their strong management practices, adherence to conservation goals, and effective implementation of MEE recommendations. At the state/UT level, Chandigarh (85.16%) and Kerala (76.22%) emerged as the top performers with 'very good' ratings, while Karnataka, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh followed closely with high 'good' ratings. On the other end of the spectrum, Ladakh (34.9%) was the only region categorised as 'poor,' reflecting significant challenges in PA management," the report read. In terms of overall distribution, 84 PAs achieved a very good rating, while the majority, 214 PAs, fell into the good category. A substantial number, 122 PAs, were rated as fair, showing room for improvement, while 18 PAs were categorised as poor, signifying the need for enhanced management efforts. "Among the highest-scoring individual PAs, Eravikulam NP in Kerala and Dachigam NP in Jammu & Kashmir recorded the highest MEE scores of 92.97%. Other well-managed sites included Bandli WLS (92.19%), Mathikettan Shola NP (90.63%), and Daroji Bear WLS (90.63%), all demonstrating exceptional conservation effectiveness. On the other hand, several PAs struggled with low scores, for example, Ringba-Roba WLS in Arunachal Pradesh, Jai Prakash Narayan Bird WLS in Uttar Pradesh, and Pakhi Bitan Bird WLS in West Bengal & Hemis NP in Ladakh," the report added. PAs are crucial components of global conservation efforts, essential for preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance. The MEE evaluation follows the globally recognised framework developed by the IUCN's World Commission on PAs. The exercise has yielded invaluable insights into the effectiveness of conservation efforts across these PAs. "The steady improvement in MEE scores across cycles is a testament to the effectiveness of our collective efforts and the resilience of our conservation strategies," said Virendra Tiwari, director of WII. The three-day conference, focused on conservation science, policy, and practice, has brought together hundreds of participants – including scientists, researchers, Indian Forest Service officers, students, NGOs, and international organisations, policymakers from across the country. The minister added, "Platforms like ICCON are essential in bringing together the next generation of researchers, forest officers, and conservationists to rethink solutions. Young minds must look beyond conventional answers — to bring science, technology, and empathy into the heart of conservation." He said that fresh ideas will help the country and the rest of the world learn to coexist with wildlife. Yadav also inaugurated the institute's new Herbarium Gallery and the Tusker Indoor Gym facility.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Removing 'locals' won't save forests, need more humanitarian approach: Bhupender Yadav
New Delhi, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said forests cannot be protected by "removing local" communities and that there is a need to take a fresh look at forest management in the country to prevent human-wildlife conflicts. Removing 'locals' won't save forests, need more humanitarian approach: Bhupender Yadav Addressing the Indian Conservation Conference at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, the minister said there is a need to bring a more humanitarian approach into conservation policies. "We should combine our scientific approach and traditions... Don't even imagine that the forest will be protected once you make everyone vacate it," Yadav said. "I am the forest minister, but I am saying this with utmost seriousness, if you remove all the local people, does that make the forest safe? And then later, if you bring in 10,000 tourists, is the forest still fine? If the forest is safe with 10,000 tourists, then how is it harmed by people who have been living there for thousands of years?" he said. The minister said building a developed India means caring for the people connected to the land and for the animals, too. "I am talking about moving forward with an open mind. Both ecology and economy are important," Yadav said. He emphasised the need to take a relook at the country's forest management. "This review must also be done in the context of the Godavarman judgment. What were the practices before this judgment? We need to consider this in light of the new and changing pressures," he said. "In Dudhwa, tigers have entered sugarcane fields; in Karnataka, elephants are coming into coffee plantations; and wild boars are regularly destroying crops. So, we need to think in a new way. The solution is not just wire fencing. We must move forward with coexistence, new approaches, traditions and our traditional knowledge," Yadav said. He said people who have been living in forests for thousands of years are repositories of this traditional knowledge, but this knowledge has not yet been documented or codified. "There is the Soliga tribe in the forest areas of Karnataka, the Meenas in Sariska and the Maldharis in the Gir forest of Gujarat. Tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh have coexisted with elephants for a long time. The Baiga people in the Amarkantak region of Madhya Pradesh can recall more herb names than a student of botany. The traditional knowledge of tribal communities in India's forest areas is our heritage," he said. Yadav said the government will organise a conference focusing on the documentation of traditional knowledge in Kolkata on June 30. "Their practices, way of life, and experiences, combined with a scientific approach, can help resolve many conflicts. For example, if you go south of Bandipur in Karnataka, it is not as if the Soliga people face wildlife attacks every day. They understand animal movements and other related aspects very well," he said. The minister also said that India has added 11 tiger reserves in the last 11 years, taking the total number to 58, despite all the challenges. "This reflects our commitment to wildlife conservation. Otherwise, why would we declare more areas as tiger reserves despite such immense population pressure," he said. The number of Ramsar sites, which are wetlands of international importance, has increased from 25 to 91 in the last 11 years, he said, adding that the government is also working to conserve dolphins, elephants, tigers and sloth bears. Yadav said India has proved to the world that ecological responsibility can go hand in hand with economic progress. "From the launch of the International Big Cat Alliance to our contributions at COP28, we are proving to the world that ecological responsibility can walk hand in hand with economic progress," he said. Initiatives like MISHTI, Amrit Dharohar and the Green Credit Programme reflect the Centre's commitment to a development model rooted in tradition, technology, and trust in communities, the minister said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
