New Delhi (The Hawk): The Government of India has taken several steps for conservation of biodiversity which includes survey, inventorization, taxonomic validation and threat assessment of floral and faunal resources; assessment to develop an accurate database for planning and monitoring as well as conservation and protection of forests; establishment of a protected area network of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, conservation and community reserves; designating Biosphere Reserves for conservation of representative ecosystems; undertaking of species oriented programmes, such as Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Project Dolphin; complemented with ex-situ conservation efforts.
A total of 1,02,718 species of fauna and 54,733 species of flora have been documented in the 10 biogeographic zones of the country. For ensuring protection of flora and fauna within protected areas, management plans are prepared by State Forest Departments which inter alia include a schedule of activities to be take-up over a period of ten years. The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 provides for diligence to be taken before approval of any activity is accorded by the State Government within a protected area to ensure conservation and protection of biodiversity.
As per Section 37 (1) of the Biological Diversity Act,2002 the State Government may, from time to time in consultation with the local bodies, notify in the Official Gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.
So far forty four (44) Biodiversity Heritage Sites have been notified by sixteen (16) states. The details of these sites are at ANNEXURE.
The Government of India is creating awareness on conservation of plant genetic resources including seeds of farmers’ varieties and landraces through the schemes like Tribal Sub-Plan, North-Eastern Hill Region and Scheduled Caste Sub Plan. A total of 233 most potential varieties of different crops identified by farmers are being conserved through on-farm cultivation, value chain and marketing involving Self Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organizations (in seven states including Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh) by National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources - Indian Council for Agricultural Research, New Delhi.
