New Delhi: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said on Friday that human–wildlife conflict has emerged as one of India’s foremost conservation and development challenges.
Yadav also chaired the 7th Meeting of the Governing Body of the National CAMPA in Coimbatore, which approved four new Wildlife and Forestry Conservation Projects for Dolphins, Snow Leopards, Wild Water Buffalo, and Indian Rhinoceros.
Inaugurating the Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Human–Wildlife Conflict at Coimbatore, Yadav said, “Our approach should be solution-oriented, instead of being problem-oriented, utilising modern technological advances.”
Yadav urged the forest departments across the country to take proactive preventive measures to manage conflicts and damage to human establishments and crops, said an official statement.
He said this must be done by addressing the issues in a coordinated manner with the respective communities through multi-stakeholder consultations.
Innovative best practices must be developed and widely implemented on the ground, using the latest technologies in wildlife conservation. “Coexistence and harmony, instead of conflict, should be the mantra of ecological sustainability”, the Minister said.
The Minister also launched the National Human–Wildlife Conflict Portal, a digital platform designed to facilitate data management, knowledge sharing, and decision support for conflict mitigation across the country, the statement said.
The first edition of a series of publications titled ‘Current Status of Human–Wildlife Conflict in India: An Overview’ was also released, providing a comprehensive assessment of the current status, trends and emerging challenges related to human–wildlife conflict in India.
The 7th Meeting of the Governing Body of National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA) reviewed the overall performance and considered several new proposals and initiatives aimed at strengthening compensatory afforestation, forest conservation and wildlife protection.
The meeting was also attended by Union MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh, said a statement.
Among other proposals, the Governing Body approved new wildlife and forestry conservation projects, including studies on the Conservation and Recovery Action Plan for River Dolphins, Project Snow Leopard Phase-II (including second cycle of population estimation), the Conservation Action Plan for the Indian Rhinoceros, and a pan-India conservation approach for the wild Water Buffalo.
The Governing Body also approved continued support for the conservation of Manipur’s Brow-antlered Deer (Sangai), said the statement.
