Parliament panel to adopt report on Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill

The Parliamentary Standing Committee that deliberated on the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 for last four months is set to submit its report by April 24, its chairman Jairam Ramesh said

The Parliamentary Standing Committee that deliberated on the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 for last four months is set to submit its report by April 24, its chairman Jairam Ramesh announced on Monday.

The amendment that proposes to introduce Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix species in the Bill has been welcomed by many of the stakeholders while the amendment in connection with 'vermin' has drawn a lot of criticism.

Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forests & Climate Change adopted its report on the proposed amendment Bill. "The report strikes a fine balance b/w Govt's aims and valid concerns of conservationists. Itall be submitted before Apr 24 deadline and then made public," he tweeted.

Earlier in March, the Committee held meetings with different states on the issue of the proposed amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act.

Prior to that, the Committee had already interacted with conservationists, scientists and various Institutions. After an appeal was sent out to the stakeholders for sending in their suggestions and objections to the Committee, it had received over 70 responses from experts and institutions on the proposed amendment.

Ramesh had earlier stated that the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has not been based on widespread consultation and also that it is poorly drafted and has huge shortcomings.

There has been widespread outrage against the proposed amendments and activists have been critical of the government's intention and the hurried manner in which it was set to be passed since it was introduced in the Parliament in December last year.

It was a protest letter by Jairam Ramesh to the Lok Sabha speaker that ensured that the amendment Bill was sent to the Standing Committee.