A public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court has questioned the functioning of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and its Standing Committee. The petition argues that both bodies have become a routine clearance mechanism for diversion of protected land for non-conservation uses.
The case is important because it raises a larger question of wildlife governance: how statutory bodies balance conservation with infrastructure, mining, and industrial projects in or around protected areas.
What the petition alleges
The petition has been filed by retired forest and wildlife officials and conservationists, including retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Prakriti Srivastava and M.K. Ranjitsinh, described as a principal drafter of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
It claims that from 2014 to 2026 the Standing Committee approved more than 97% of proposals involving diversion, reduction, or de-notification of protected land. The plea also says the Standing Committee often considers more than 100 proposals in a single day.
According to the petition, the full NBWL, which is meant to meet annually, convened in 2025 after a 13-year gap. The petitioners argue that this has made the Standing Committee the de facto operational decision-making body.
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