Wildlife plays an important role in conserving & maintaining ecological balance. The first comprehensive legislation related to the conservation and protection of wildlife was passed by the Government on 9th September, 1972.

Wildlife is the most precious gift of God to earth. The term “Wildlife” not only includes Wild animals, but also includes all other undomesticated animals like birds, insects, reptiles, molluscs etc. Every animal has its own value & place in food chain. If any animal disappears from the food chain then the whole chain would undergo drastic changes. Together all these food chain results in the food web.

At present, many of the animals are at the risk of becoming endangered due to the increasing activity of humans; we are interfering in their habitat. Development projects, farming by humans are some of the reasons of habitat destruction. Poaching & hunting for animal fur, meat, and leather are some of the most obvious reasons for wildlife extinction.

Wildlife Clearance is a clearance or permission required as per Supreme Court order to establish any industry or development projects within 10 km radius of any protected area from National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change (MoEF & CC). The term Wildlife Clearance is introduced in the Wildlife Protection Act, to protect the wildlife & their habitat.

What is Wildlife Protection Act?

Wildlife Protection Act is the act of Parliament of India enacted for the protection & conservation of wildlife or it can be defined as an act that provides for protection of wildlife.

According to Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 an "animal" involves all land animals, aquatic animals, aves, insects and reptiles and their young ones, and also involves their eggs.

Goals of the Wildlife Protection Act are:

• To protect wildlife
• To stop illegal hunting & poaching of wildlife
• To conserve the wildlife habitat
• To provide medical care to wild animals
• To restrict trade of wild animals and their product

Protected Areas for Wildlife

According to the Wildlife Protection Act, some areas are provided for the protection & conservation of wildlife & these areas are called wildlife protected areas. Wildlife Protected Areas include National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Zoological Parks and Biosphere Reserves.

National Parks

• National Parks are protected areas with boundaries defined by the government
• National Parks not only protect animals but also the entire ecosystem
• Human Activities are not allowed here at all
• They are on the surveillance by the government only.
• There are 104 national parks in India accounting an area of 40501.13 km2

Wildlife Sanctuaries

• Wildlife Sanctuaries are protected areas with boundaries not exactly defined
• Wildlife Sanctuaries are only for the purpose of wildlife protection
• Human Activities are allowed bit to some extent like grazing, collection of herbs, fodder & fuel
• They may be catered by government & private body
• Wild animals are protected in their dwelling environment
• There are 551 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India accounting an area of 119775.80km2

Zoological Park

• Zoological Parks are protected areas with area less than as compared to other protected areas
• Animals are protected in human made habitat
• Boundaries are defined
• At present there are 1800 zoological parks in India

Biosphere Reserve

• Biospheres Reserves are protected areas having comparatively larger area as compared to other protected areas with fixed boundaries
• Biosphere Reserve protects the entire biodiversity (flora & fauna)
• There are 3 zones in Biosphere Reserve i.e. core zone, buffer zone & transition zone
• No human activities are allowed in the core zone, core zone is the most sensitive zone
• However, human activities may be allowed in buffer zone & transition zone
• They are solely owned by the government
• There 18 biosphere reserves in India

Environmental laws applicable for Wildlife Clearance

Before any project proponent start activity in a Wildlife Protected Area land, he/she shall apply for Wildlife Clearance. The Concerned department after scrutinizing all the documents of the project proponent makes decision to grant or reject the permission.

The important central Wildlife legislations in India are:

• The Wildlife Rules, 1973
• The Wildlife Central Rules, 1973
• The Wildlife (Protection) Licensing Rules, 1983
• Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992
• The Wildlife (Protection) Rules, 1995
• The Wildlife (Specified Plants- Conditions) Rules, 1995
• The Wildlife (Specified Plant) Central Rules, 1995
• The Declaration of Wild Life Stock Rules, 2003
• The National Board for Wildlife Rules, 2003

As the population is increasing day by day for catering the need of increased population, resources shall also be increased and by this, industrialization & development is increasing at a very high rate to fulfil the needs of everyone.

For new projects, industries, institutions land has to be required; some project requires the diversion or nearby area of Wildlife Protected Areas. After getting permission from the concerned department only then Wildlife Protected Areas can be diverted or nearby area of wildlife protected area can be used for developmental activities.

 Wildlife Clearance is a very crucial process & it takes time, because every aspect of the project is been carefully studied & after scrutinizing all the documents the MoEF & CC grants permission or reject the proposal.

The GOI (MoEF & CC) with the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) conduct the survey of the Wildlife Protected land which is supposed to be diverted for the development purpose.

The Survey report consists of:

• Area of Nearby Land required for the development purpose
• Number of plant species affected
• Number of animals affected
• Number of people affected
• Effect on the land, water & air of the particular place
• Distance of land from the Human settlement area
• Distance from the Highway
• Distance from the nearest city
• Distance from the nearest water body
• Area affected by the Project
• Number of people benefitted
• Compensation for the forest area affected
• Area of green belt development

Following activities require Wildlife Clearance: 

Activities inside Wildlife Sanctuaries

Any kind of destruction /damage /removal of wildlife species or diverting the habitat of any wild animal including removal of forest produce or diverting/ stopping enhancing the flow of water into or outside the wildlife sanctuary.

Activities inside National Parks

Any kind of destruction /damage /removal of wildlife species or diverting the habitat of any wild animal including removal of forest produce or diverting/ stopping enhancing the flow of water into or outside the National Park.

Activities within 10 Km from boundaries of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has issued a circular that an Environmental Clearances for all those projects that fall within 10 km boundary of the National Parks, Sanctuaries or wildlife protected area will be subject to recommendation of the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (NBWL).

• Any person or agency going to establish industry or other developmental activities or any other non- forestry activities within and 10 km from any National Protected Area Network (PAN), can apply for wildlife clearance.
• The Project Proponent has to apply in Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change and fill up Part-I and Part-II and submit it. The application then automatically forwarded to the Divisional Forest Officer/Deputy Conservator of Forest/Park Manager of the concerned Protected Area.
• The proposal submitted by User Agency is going to be forwarded to involved DFO/Wild Life Warden.
• DFO scrutinizes proposal & sends Associate in nursing acceptance letter to Project exponent, if all relevant documents square measure uploaded properly by U.A.
• If any document is not provided by the user agency or any other information is needed, DFO may ask U.A. to upload that missing information.
• Process will start only when DFO accepts the proposal. When, DFO sends the acceptance letter to Project proponent proposal details are forwarded automatically to all the DFOs involved in the proposal for their necessary action.
• When DFO uploads his/her comments and Site Inspection Reports, proposal details are forwarded automatically to concerned Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) for the necessary action.
• CWW can view the proposal and comments of DFO After that, he/she uploads his/her comments and Site Inspection report and the proposal will be forwarded to State Government level.
• State Government (SG) level user can view the proposal and comments of DFO and CWW and then process it.  After that, he/she uploads comments of State Board of life (SBWL) on the portal together with government report/comments.
• Once, these are conveyed, proposal is forwarded to Head Office (Wildlife), New Delhi.
• After receiving the proposal from State Government (SG), the MoEF & CC can view the proposal (Form-A submitted by project proponent) and comments of DFO, CWW, SBWL and State Government. 
• HO (Wildlife), then processes it for the approval of the Competent Authority of MoEF & CC.  After taking approval from the Concerned Authority, he/she has to convey the status of the proposal and update the comments and letter of National Board of Wildlife.

Time line for processing forest clearance proposal