Question : ILLEGAL TRADE IN WILDLIFE

(

(a) whether in a raid made by CBI near Nagpur and tiger skins alongwith other animals parts have been seized in March, 2001in Maharashtra;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether some foreign smugglers have been found to be involved in the crime; and

(d) if so, the action taken or proposed to be taken to check such type of crimes in future?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T.R.BAALU)


(a)& (b)The details of seizure made by officers of Central Bureau of Investigation in March, 2001 at Nagpur are at Annexure -I.

(c) No conclusive evidence to prove involvement of foreign smugglers in this case has been received.

(d) The action taken to check wildlife crimes are as follows:


(1) Steps taken at the State level:


(i) Legal protection has been provided to wild animals against hunting and commercial exploitation under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

(ii) State level and District level coordination committees have been set up in several States to prevent poaching and illegal trade in wildlife.

(2) Steps taken at National level

i. Government of India has set up Regional and Sub-regional Offices for wildlife preservation in major export and trade centres of the country to prevent smuggling of wild animals and their products.

ii. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been empowered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to apprehend and prosecute wildlife offenders. Anti poaching efforts are being coordinated with INTERPOL.

iii. Financial and technical help is being extended to the States under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes, viz. Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Development of National Parks and Sanctuaries and Eco-development around Protected Areas for enhancing the capacity and infrastructure of the States for providing effective protection to wild animals. Financial assistance is, in particular, being provided for raising `Strike Forces` and providing arms to the protection staff for combating the organised poachers. Assistance is also provided for giving rewards to the informers for eliciting information about poachers and smugglers.

iv. A Special Coordination and Enforcement Committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Secretary, Environment & Forests, Government of India, for control of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife.

v. Export of wild animals and their derivatives is prohibited under EXIM policy.

vi. A National Conference of Forests and Environment Ministers of State Government was held on 29th and 30th January, 2001. It was resolved to organise existing protection staff into viable formations for effective control of poaching and to create enforcement infrastructure both within and out side protected areas.

vii. Ministry of Home Affairs has written to all the State Governments to lend a helping hand to the field formations to curb poaching and illegal trade in wildlife.

(3) Steps taken at International level.

i. Government of India seeks international co-operation under the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) for control of illegal trade in wildlife items.

ii. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nepal has been signed by India to establish a joint Task Force to check the trafficking across the borders.

iii. Indo-Chinese Protocol in tiger conservation Article of the protocol inter-alia stipulates joint measures to crackdown illegal activities of poaching of tigers, smuggling and selling the tiger bones and other parts of the tiger as well as its derivatives.

iv. A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been created for addressing international issues related to Tiger Conservation.


ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE IN RESPECT TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5273 DUE FOR REPLY ON 23.4.2001 REGARDING ILLEGAL TRADE IN WILDLIFE .


Details of seizure made by Central Bureau of Investigation in March, 2001 at Nagpur.


Sl.No.	Items	Seized	Action taken
1 Tiger Skin - 1 Nos 2 persons arrested Tiger skull - 5 Nos. Tiger bones - 23 Kgs. Antlers - 1.9 Kgs. Tiger claws - 10 Nos. Tiger Teeth - 3 Nos.

2. Leopard skin - 4 Nos. 4 persons arrested