(a) the names of the areas identified for conservation and promotion of bio-diversity in the country;
(b) the number of institutes engaged in research work relating to conservation of bio-diversity at present in the country; and
(c) the action plan worked out by the Government to protect bio-diversity against the hydel power projects and other development projects?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)
(a) Conservation and promotion of biodiversity in the country is undertaken inter alia through establishment of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries; notified Reserved Forest areas; designation of Biosphere Reserves; identification of ecologically fragile areas such as mangroves, wetlands and coral reefs; and notification of biodiversity heritage sites and eco-sensitive zones. So far, 103 National Parks, 536 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 38 mangrove sites, 26 wetlands, 4 coral reefs and 7 biodiversity heritage sites have been identified. Details of these areas are provided in the Annual Reports of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and on its website at http://envfor.nic.in/.
(b) Some of the prominent institutes engaged in research work relating to conservation of biodiversity at present in the country inter alia include: Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata and its regional centres; Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata and its regional centres; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun; G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora; Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore; Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education, Dehradun and its regional centres, and Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. Besides, a large number of Central Government Institutes, State Government organizations, Universities and Non-Government Organisations are engaged in research work relating to biodiversity in the country.
(c)Some of the measures taken by the Government to protect biodiversity in case of hydel power projects and other development projects include: appraisal of project proposals for environment clearance as per the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment Notification 2006, as amended from time to time, wherein mitigation measures for impacts on environment, ecology, wildlife as well as social impacts are embodied in Environment Management Plans prepared for respective projects; appraisal of project proposals requiring forest clearance as per the provisions of Forest (Conservation) Rules 2003 as amended in 2014; and appraisal of project proposals within National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries as per the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, as amended from time to time.
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