‘Tendency to treat every statutory body as an extension of govt arm’: Delhi High Court pulls up Centre during hearing on wildlife panel
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Species, protected areas & wetlands· Mains·
Why in news
The Delhi High Court criticized the Centre for allegedly treating the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (SC-NBWL) as a government arm
Background
The Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (SC-NBWL) is a statutory body tasked with reviewing project proposals in Protected Areas. A petition by retired bureaucrats and conservationists alleges the committee is exceeding its mandate and failing to comply with statutory constitution requirements.
Facts for Prelims
- BodyNational Board of Wildlife (NBWL): A statutory body established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
- FactThe SC-NBWL recorded a 97% approval rate for project proposals in Protected Areas between 2014 and 2026
- BodyStanding Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (SC-NBWL): The body responsible for reviewing environmental clearances for projects in protected zones
For Mains
Q. Critically analyze the tension between developmental priorities and environmental conservation in India's Protected Areas, focusing on the role of statutory bodies in ensuring ecological integrity.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Institutional autonomy: Risk of executive overreach when statutory bodies lose independence and function as mere government extensions
- Regulatory capture: Prioritization of economic benefits over ecological impact assessments in sensitive biodiversity hotspots
- Statutory non-compliance: Failure to adhere to prescribed constitutional and legal requirements for committee formation and mandate
Keywords: Statutory autonomy · Executive overreach · Ecological integrity · Regulatory capture · Developmental-conservation trade-off
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