New Delhi: The amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act, which were introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 5 August with the intention to provide stricter penalties against poaching, may harm wildlife research in India as it makes even a minor violation of licence conditions an offence that can be punished with compulsory imprisonment.
“There is scope to send a researcher or a tourist to jail if they do not stick to the exact details of their respective permits,” according to a statement issued by a group of wildlife researchers on Tuesday.
The wildlife Act provides a legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals, plants and for the management of their habitat. It also regulates and controls trade in the products derived from them. Researchers, however, claim that a section proposed to be introduced in the Act may hurt their interest.
If the amendment is approved by Parliament, a breach of any of the terms and conditions of any licence or permit granted under the Act will be punishable with imprisonment for a term of up to three years and a fine that may extend to Rs.25,000.
In a 20 August letter to environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan, Praveen Bhargav, managing trustee of Bangalore-based conservation non-profit Wildlife First and a former member of the national board for wildlife, said some of the amendments, if approved, “will mandate a compulsory term of imprisonment for relatively lesser offences like a minor research permit violation while making a far more serious offence involving animal articles and trade in scheduled animals a compoundable offence.”
A petty offence like simple trespass or minor research/tourist permit condition violation will lead to a minimum imprisonment term of up to three years and fine, Bhargav said.
“On the other hand, more serious offences like sale/purchase/transfer and trade of meat or animal article/trophies of wild animals listed in Part I of Schedule II, III and IV do not carry a compulsory imprisonment term. The punishment proposed is imprisonment up to three years or fine of Rs.1 lakh or both,” the letter says.
“This structure of penalties seems to be extremely illogical and therefore needs your immediate intervention,” it adds, while suggesting the minister make necessary changes before the amendments are passed by Parliament.
An environment ministry official who requested anonymity said the Bill has gone to the parliamentary standing committee. “I don’t know if it is possible to make changes now or later,” the official said over the phone. He declined to be named.
