How safe are wild life species in Gujarat? The state is home to nature’s marvels such as the Asiatic lion, blackbuck, flamingos, and the great Indian bustard.
Yet, strange as it may appear, the state doesn’t have a specific forest policy.
The CAG, in a report, titled, ‘Performance Audit of Protection, Conservation and Management of Wildlife Sanctuaries in Gujarat-2023’, mentions that a forest policy provides a strategy for conservation, maintenance, sustainable utilisation, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment.
The report stresses on a mechanism at the state level to oversee implementation of the national forest policy provisions.
A national newspaper has reported that the CAG, in a recent report, pointed out that the Gujarat is yet to have a state-specific forest policy. The 2023 CAG audit report observed that even 15 years after an earlier report in 2009, when the body informed Gujarat about the need of a foreign policy, the state hasn’t done anything about it.
The audit further observed that there was a lack of mechanism for conversation of forest and wildlife
resources, budget allocations and implementation of the National Forest Policy.
The national newspaper further reported that the CAG reminded that the forest department said that the preparation of a policy was underway, which would be submitted to the state government for approval.
A state specific forest policy is aimed at having a focused approach on conservation and management of wildlife.
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