Government committed to conservation of Great Indian Bustard: Bhupender Yadav

Ahmedabad: India is committed to conserving the critically endangered bird Great Indian Bustard (GIB), with two captive breeding centres set up in Rajasthan expected to raise its population, Union minister Bhupender Yadav said on Sunday.

Responding to reports that only four female Great Indian Bustards remain in Gujarat, the Union minister for environment, forest & climate change said he is assured about its conservation effort and the two breeding centres in Rajasthan are doing a good job regarding it.

"I am totally assured about the ongoing conservation programme for GIBs. For conservation, we must introduce them to the wildlife after taking them out of the incubator. We are taking care of all of it. I am reiterating that development and environment can go hand-in- hand," Yadav said.

The population of GIBs dwindled mainly due to poaching and because of a particular diet these birds need, he said.

The minister was addressing a gathering here on how the Narendra Modi government promoted "green growth" in nine years of its power by taking together development and environmental conservation.

To a question about overhead cables being one of the causes of the drop in GIB population, Yadav said they had contributed to only four deaths.

"I believe that through the breeding programme launched by us, we will certainly increase its numbers...I can say with confidence that we are committed to its conservation and preservation," the minister said.

According to wildlife experts, GIBs are found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, but their numbers have declined to just four to five in other states, except Rajasthan.

In Rajasthan, their numbers have come down to 50 or 60 from 250 in the past 20 years in the absence of concerted efforts to preserve the endangered species.

Yadav further said his ministry has undertaken the project for conservation of 13 main rivers in the country, by increasing tree plantation along the river beds, setting up sewage treatment plants wherever human settlements are close to the rivers, and protection and preservation of the origin sites of rivers.

India is totally committed to removing degradation of land, for which a 26 million hectare target has been set, he said.

The government is also encouraging sustainable and climate resilient blue economy, and is committed to promoting a circular economy, he said.

"As India is becoming the fastest growing economy, we are working with the long-term low-emission development strategy," the minister said.

Declaration of Ramsar sites, elephant and tiger reserves, ban on single-use plastic, project cheetah, and reducing days to give nod to environmental clearance files from 600 days during the Congress regime to 75 days now are all efforts in this direction, he said.

The minister said it was due to technological advancement that the number of fatalities during natural calamities such as cyclones has reduced, and India is committed to help the world and share advanced early warning systems.

In nine years, India has prepared a strong climate action programme, he said.

"Due to technological advancements, we have seen how we were able to save lives during cyclone Biparjoy, with the Centre's disaster relief mission and Gujarat government's efforts providing relief and saving lives using technology during natural calamities," Yadav said.

India is the only G20 country which has completed nine years before the target set for green transition in 2015, he said, adding the country has also achieved its carbon emission target and has increased its carbon shield by augmenting the green cover.

"India is being seen as the world leader in green growth. There is both development and conservation in green growth...India is among 58 countries to announce the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and presented a plan under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," the minister said.