Question

give any three steps taken by the governtment to protect flora and fauna ?

Answer 1

Following are some of the steps taken by the government in favour of forests and wildlife :

• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 : It provides for protection to listed species of flora and fauna and establishes a network of ecologically-important protected areas. It empowers the central and state governments to declare any area a wildlife sanctuary, national park or closed area. Carrying out any industrial activity inside these protected areas is considered illegal. It provides for authorities to administer and implement the Act; regulate the hunting of wild animals; protect specified plants, sanctuaries, national parks and closed areas; restrict trade or commerce in wild animals or animal articles; and miscellaneous matters. The Act prohibits hunting of animals except with permission of authorized officer when an animal has become dangerous to human life or property or so disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery . The near-total prohibition on hunting was made more effective by the Amendment Act of 1991.
• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980: It was adopted to protect and conserve forests. It restricts the powers of the state in respect of de-reservation of forests and use of forest land for non-forest purposes .
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), 1973: CITES, is to control or prevent international commercial trade in endangered species or products derived from them. It does not seek to directly protect endangered species or curtail development practices that destroy their habitats. Rather, it seeks to reduce the economic incentive to poach endangered species and destroy their habitat by closing off the international market. India became a party to the CITES in 1976. International trade in all wild flora and fauna in general and species covered under CITES is regulated jointly through the provisions of The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, the Import/Export policy of Government of India and the Customs Act 1962.