‘Impose biodiversity cess on vehicles plying in eco areas’

The Pioneer , Friday, July 11, 2014
Correspondent :
The Wild Orissa has suggested imposition and levy of a biodiversity cess on vehicles plying inside the Protected Areas of the State.

Wild Orissa Chief Spokesperson Kulamani Deo said an increasing quantum of wildlife space is being occupied by developmental infrastructures in India, where Protected Areas (PAs) are set up under the relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (as subsequently amended). Such areas have ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural or zoological significance.

Though roads are an essential part of the development process; yet when they intersect natural areas (as opposed to being situated in already-modified human-dominated landscapes) they have wide-ranging and complex impacts on these areas and wild species inhabiting these areas. There are instances of wild animal mortality due to road accidents, Deo, a former IPS officer, pointed out.

He stated that roads further fragment the already highly-fragmented natural habitats. They break forest contiguity, impinge on forests and well-worn migratory paths of animals, damage tree cover and canopy and slice vegetation, all of which gravely impact wildlife. Roads cause soil erosion and landslides. Roads are the first step to ancillary development and an increasing human footprint in the area, thus leading to accelerated developmental, tourist and hunting pressures, increase in pollution, litter and various disturbances.

Deo further pointed out that unless great vigilance and checks are provided, roads provide conduits for illegal extraction of timber and forest produce and for poaching, particularly at night, from vehicles. Accordingly, use of vehicles in the PAs has a bearing on the biodiversity including flora and fauna. This could be by way of direct impact or indirect. Littering, smoke pollution, etc. are some of deleterious impacts experienced on the biodiversity.

In light of these facts, the Wild Orissa is of the view that there is an imperative need for levy of user fees on roads and waterways by vehicles and boats/trawlers/barges/ships, etc, plying inside the Protected Areas in the Odisha.

The Wild Orissa has urged the State Government to consider imposing such a levy, appropriately termed as Biodiversity Cess, which could be collected by the Forest Department at the entry points to the PAs. This revenue could be considered for maintenance of the PAs by way of cleanups of littering, extinguishing forest fires on roadsides and for community-level wildlife conservation programmes for habitations located inside the areas, Deo said.

 
SOURCE : http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/impose-biodiversity-cess-on-vehicles-plying-in-eco-areas.html
 


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