Security of soil, sustenance of water regimes and activation of weather regimes as well as moderation of environmental adversities of modern age depend upon the health of natural ecosystems. The benefits from conservation of natural areas are not readily quantifiable as they flow to the local communities and the country somewhat intangibly and are often taken for granted. The value of effective conservation of natural areas must hence not be linked with direct fiscal benefits. Environmental well-being and food security cannot be ensured in the long run without the care of natural areas. Efforts and 13 initiatives from the side of the communities for revival of natural areas thus need to be supported.
Challenges of wildlife conservation arise from population pressure, adverse impact of industrialization as well as the lately increasing threats from illegal wildlife trade.
Conservation of wildlife and its habitat outside the protected areas particularly in the context of critically endangered species is a challenge which the conservation efforts must address. Such efforts are equally needed for long ranging mega-herbivores like elephants and major predators like tiger and leopard.
For the protection and conserving the wildlife, people’s support has an important role. Therefore bio-resource ameliorative and livelihood supplementing participatory eco development measures are required for local communities with a view to reducing their dependence upon protected areas. The problem of wildlife damage to human life and property need to be effectively mitigated by special management measures and expeditions and reasonable ex-gratia financial relief. Also, it is necessary to settle expeditiously the rights of local communities including voluntary relocation of habitations to alternative sites outside the protected areas. Such measures would ensure the participatory support of the people for conservation. To fructify this objective, larger investments backed by attitudinal change would be essential. Poaching of wild animals due to lucrative clandestine trade in wildlife produce has become a major threat to wildlife conservation. Steps to be undertaken in this regard include filling up of vacant posts in the wildlife sector; reorganization of field information in and around the protected areas; provision of infrastructure; capacity building; and, intelligence work.
Education and awareness building measures as well as research and training have great role to play in making the conservation measures more effective.
The following thrust areas need high priority and enhanced allocation during the Tenth Plan:

A. Mitigation of human wildlife conflict
As regards settlement of rights and relocation of an estimated number of 10 million people living inside protected areas, it is not possible to the shift entire population, both, on account of resource requirement and unwillingness of the people to move out. For the time being relocation would be on voluntary basis with greater priority being given to national parks and important sanctuaries.

B. Eco-development
Eco-development process in at least 15,000 villages under the Tenth Plan period will be initiated. Priority will be given to national parks and sanctuaries having higher biodiversities and higher threats.

C. Depredation of Wildlife
Wildlife depredation on human life and property is a major factor of alienation of local community from wildlife conservation. In 1999-2000 alone, 179 human deaths have been caused by elephants. The situation in mountainous regions is very grave. Timely payment 14 of compensation against depredation by wildlife will go a long way in eliciting local support.

D. Habitat improvement
One of the most important part of the successful wildlife management is habitat
improvement and its orientation as per the needs of wildlife along with strict fire control measures and devices in the protected areas. This has been identified as a priority item in the Tenth Plan.

E. Control of poaching
Poaching of wild animals and its lucrative clandestine trade has become a major threat for conservation of wildlife. In the year 2000-2001 only, about 74, 270 and 41 cases of tiger, panther and elephant poaching respectively have been reported. The actual number of poached animals may be even higher as all the cases poaching are not reported. The important steps to be undertaken in this regard are filling up of vacant posts in wildlife sector, reorganization of field formations in an around protected areas, capacity building and intelligence network, development of wildlife forensic system, establishment of wildlife crime unit, provision of essential equipment and amenities to staff and provision for anti-poaching camps and strike forces.

F. Education and awareness
Considering the crucial role of education, awareness and publicity in wildlife conservation, it is essential to provide adequate funds for these programs in the Tenth Plan.

G. Research and training
Research and training inputs need to be strengthened in the wildlife sector. The Wildlife Institute of India is proposed to be strengthened during the Tenth Plan period.

H. Research and Education
Under the environment research programme, the focus will be on the identified thrust areas which include alternatives to chemical pesticides and fertilizers;
biotechnologies/micro biology for treatment of industrial effluents; development of pollution related instrument; waste minimization and reuse; development of biodegradable plastics; and health and toxicology, amongst others.
In the ecosystem research scheme, it is proposed to take up studies relating to conservation, assessment of the impact of human activities on the biosphere, climate change and interrelationships between humans and biological resources.
Under the Eastern and Western ghats scheme emphasis will be on location-specific and problem solving research. Efforts will be made to conserve, protect and enhance the biodiversity in Eastern and Western Ghats. Endeavors will be made for tackling the hotspots of pollution by development of biological and other interventions for prevention and control of pollution including waste recycling. Special attention is proposed to be given on human-animal interaction on the boundaries of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves and world heritage cites. Attention will also be given to 15 rehabilitation of mixed areas and over burdened dumps in the Eastern and Western ghats as also on strengthening of R&D on endemic fauna and climate change. The Ministry had identified about 21 thrust areas which will guide the selection of research projects during the Tenth Plan period. Some of the important areas of thrust are development of biological and other interventions for pollution preventing and control including waste recycling; development of strategies for prevention and/or of pollution; clean technologies for sustainable production patterns; restoration of degraded ecosystems; conservation and enhancement of biological diversity; climate change; health and toxicology; research on landuse and landuse changes; mining; impact of developmental activities on drinking water; river conservation and maintenance of their pristine state; research on mountain ecosystem, islands and coastal zones; research on environmental legislation; socio-economic issues (20).

 

National river conservation directorate (NRCD)
With a view of improving the sustainability of the river and lake cleaning programmes, a number of initiatives are proposed to be taken up in an integrated and holistic approach. The focus will be on large towns and include a decentralized approach for sewage interception, development of demonstration level models in small colonies for the total treatment of sewage and its disposal, promotion of root zone treatment / formulation of wetland technology, tackling more aggressively the non-point source of pollution, utilization of treated sewage after disinfecting, adoption of a more effective river front development approach involving universities and colleges in the monitoring of water quality in rivers and lakes, approval of projects only after firm commitment from local bodies/state Governments for meeting the operation and maintenance costs.
Strengthening of state Level institutional arrangements for effective and timely implementation of the programmes, assessment of minimum floor requirements in different rivers to ensure minimum floor regimes in critical structures of all rivers and formulation of a legislation for River Regulation Zone on the lines of Coastal Regulation Zones, are some of the important elements of the proposed strategy (21).
The ministry has also identified capacity building in environmental economics as one of the priority areas of environmental management. It is currently implementing the ‘India Environmental Management Capacity Building Technical Assistance Project’ with World Bank assistance. The objective of this programme is to increase the capacity for the application of economic principles and tools to environmental management in India across the full range of issues such as priority setting, cost-benefit analysis of alternative policies for pollution control, resources management, and biodiversity conservation. To achieve these objectives this programme is being implemented through selected core institutions like Madras School of Economics, Chennai; Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai; Indian Statistical Institute Calcutta; and Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi (22).
The Environmental Economics Research Committee (EERC) formed to identify research themes has identified several themes which will stress on the application of economic principles. The areas identified include 16
1. Environment and natural resource management
a) Land Use and Management
b) Environmental Aspects of Air
c) Water Resource Management
d) Biodiversity
2. Environmental pollution and policy design for control
a) Air, water and solid waste
b) Valuation of damages
c) Methods and costs of control
d) Economic and Fiscal Incentives
3. Economics of Green Initiative
a) Pollution Reduction at Source (23).

National river conservation directorate (NRCD)
DONOR PRIORITIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB)

The International Human Development Programme (IHDP)

Winrock International India

NGO'S PRIORITIES IN THE ENVIRONMENT SECTOR

Development Alternatives (DA)

The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR)

Foundation for the Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions

Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi

The Small Industries Pollution Problem

Environment Protection, Energy Conservation & Audit Services [Page-21]