BENGALURU: The Union government is presenting a new version of linear infrastructure policy that will permit and regulate infrastructure and developmental works in forest areas. The Centre has envisaged the task of giving inputs and preparing the policy to the Wildlife Institute of India, said International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) programme director Das Gupta on Sunday.
Gupta was speaking on the sidelines of the five-day IBCA summit inaugurated in Bengaluru on Sunday. The workshop and course for the subsequent days will be held in Bandipur and Nagarhole Tiger Reserves. He said the first version of the policy was released in 2017 and now it is evolving. The construction of underpasses and overpasses have proven to be a success in Pench and a few other places, and now, it is being replicated in other parts of Indian forests. The Central government has now agreed to invest in these projects. Linear infrastructure works are now being undertaken in the north-eastern landscapes.
"In the new policy, involving people and taking the opinion of all stakeholders is being stressed, along with strengthening natural forest corridors connecting forests, for easing elephant and big cat movements. Court orders will have to be abided by all the states in strengthening corridors to mitigate conflicts. While the country is focusing on economic, social and defence security, it is also time to lay emphasis on ecological security and this big cat summit will focus on this," he said.
Gupta said forests are better protected in the colonised countries and now there is a need to prioritise on securing habitats beyond protected areas and address the challenges of species conservation. The central government will work with the state governments also on this in future.
The IBCA was launched in 2023, headquartered in India, and agreements have been signed with South Asian, Central American and Central Asian countries. Of the 38 countries, representatives from 19 attended the inaugural function on Sunday and the others will join the workshops in tiger reserves, Gupta said. "With this, 55 million sqkm area will be addressed, which is 10% of the earth's geographical area.
Forest conservation does not get even 1% of the GDP. Thus corporates, public sector organisations including CII, ADP, PwC and private firms have been included for big cat conservation," he said.