Chapter IV PROTECTED AREAS

(1) The State Government may, by notification, declare its intention to constitute any area other than an area comprised within any reserve forest or the territorial White-winged wood duck (Cairina scutalata)

(1) When the State Government declares its intention under sub-section (1) of section 18 to constitute any area, not comprised within any reserve forest or territorial waters under that sub-section, as a sanctuary, the provisions of sections 27 to 33A (both inclusive) shall come into effect forthwith. (2) Till such time as the rights of affected persons are finally settled under sections 19 to 24 (both inclusive), the State Government shall make alternative arrangements required for making available fuel, fodder and other forest produce to the persons affected, in terms of their rights as per the Government records.

The State Government shall appoint, an officer to act as Collector under the Act, within ninety days of coming into force of the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002 (16 of 2003), or within thirty days of the issue of notification under section 18, to inquire into and determine the existence, nature and extent of rights of any person in or over the land comprised within the limits of the sanctuary which may be notified under sub-section (1) of section 18.

When a notification has been issued under section 18, the Collector shall inquire into, and determine, the existence, nature and extent of the rights of any person in or over the land comprised within the limits of the sanctuary. Swiftlets (Collocaliaunicolor and )

After the issue of a notification under section 18, no right shall be acquired in, on or over the land comprised within the limits of the area specified in such notification, except by succession, testamentary or intestate. Hill myna (Gracula religiosa intermedia,Gracula religiosa peninsularis, Gracula religiosa indica and Gracula religiosaand andamanensis)

When a notification has been issued under section 18, the Collector shall within a period of sixty days publish in the regional language in every town and village in or in the neighbourhood of the area comprised therein, a proclamation— (a) specifying, as nearly as possible, the situation and the limits of the sanctuary; and (b) requiring any person, claiming any right mentioned In section 19, to prefer before the Collector, within two months from the date of such proclamation, a written claim in the prescribed form, specifying the nature and extent of such right with necessary details and the amount and particulars of compensation, if any, claimed in respect thereof. Tibetan ear pheasant (Crossoptilon harmani)

The Collector shall, after service of the prescribed notice upon the claimant, expeditiously inquire into— (a) the claim preferred before him under clause (b) of section 21, and (b) the existence of any right mentioned in section 19 and not claimed under clause (b) of section 21, so far as the same may be ascertainable from the records of the State Government and the evidence of any person acquainted with the same. Kalij pheasant (Lophurs leucomelana)

For the purpose of such inquiry, the Collector may exercise the following powers, namely:— (a) the power to enter in or upon any land and to survey, demarcate and make a map of the same or to authorise any other officer to do so; (b) the same powers as are vested in a civil court for the trial of suits. Lord Derby’s parakeet (Psittacula derbyana)

(1) In the case of a claim to a right in or over any land referred to in section 19, the Collector shall pass an order admitting or rejecting the same in whole or in part. (2) If such claim is admitted in whole or in part, the Collector may either— (a) exclude such land from the limits of the proposed sanctuary, or (b) proceed to acquire such land or rights, except where by an agreement between the owner of such land or holder of rights and the Government, the owner or holder of such rights has agreed to surrender his rights to the Government, in or over such land” and on payment of such compensation, as is provided in the Land Acquisition Act, 1894(1 of 1894). (c) allow, in consultation with the Chief Wild Life Warden, the continuation of any right of any person in or over any land within the limits of the sanctuary.

(1) For the purpose of acquiring such land, or rights in or over such land,— (a) the Collector shall be deemed to be a Collector, proceeding under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1 of 1894); (b) the claimant shall be deemed to be a person interested and appearing before him in pursuance of a notice given under section 9 of that Act; (c) the provisions of the sections, preceding section 9 of that Act, shall be deemed to have been complied with; (d) where the claimant does not accept the award made in his favour ha the matter of compensation, he shall be deemed, within the meaning of section 18 of that Act, to be a person interested who has not accepted the award, and shall be entitled to proceed to claim relief against the award under the provisions of Part III of that Act; (e) the Collector, with the consent of the claimant, or the court, with the consent of both the parties, may award compensation in land or money or partly in land and partly in money; and (f) in the case of the stoppage of a public way or a common pasture, the Collector may, with the previous sanction of the State Government, provide for an alternative public way or common pasture, as far as may be practicable or convenient. (2) The acquisition under this Act of any land or interest therein shall be deemed to be acquisition for a public purpose. White bellied hereon (Ardea insignis)

(1) The Collector shall, as far as possible, complete the proceedings under sections 19 to 25 (both inclusive), within a period of two years from the date of notification of declaration of sanctuary under section 18. (2) The notification shall not lapse if, for any reasons, the proceedings are not completed within a period of two years.

The State Government may, by general or special order, direct that the Powers exercisable or the functions to be performed by the Collector under sections 19 to 25 (both inclusive) may be exercised and performed by such other officer as may be specified in the order.

(1) When— (a) a notification has been issued under section 18 and the period for preferring claims has elapsed, and all claims, if any, made in relation to any land in an area intended to be declared as a sanctuary, have been disposed of by the State Government; or (b) any area comprised within any reserve forest or any part of the territorial waters, which is considered by the State Government to be of adequate ecological faunal floral geomorphological, natural or zoological significance for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wild life or its environment, is to be included in a sanctuary, the State Government shall issue a notification specifying the limits of the area which shall be comprised within the sanctuary and declare that the said area shall be sanctuary on and from such date as may be specified in the notification: Provided that where any part of the territorial waters is to be so included, prior concurrence of the Central Government shall be obtained by the State Government: Provided further that the limits of the area of the territorial waters to be included in the sanctuary shall be determined in consultation with the Chief Naval Hydrographer of the Central Government and after taking adequate measures to protect the occupational interests of the local fishermen. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section(1), the right of innocent passage of any vessel or boat through the territorial waters shall not be affected by the notification issued under sub-section (1). (3) No alteration of the boundaries of a sanctuary shall be made by the State Government except on a recommendation of the National Board.

(1) No person other than,— (a) a public servant on duty, (b) a person who has been permitted by the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer to reside within the limits of the sanctuary, (c) a person who has any right over immovable property within the limits of the sanctuary, (d) a person passing through the sanctuary along a public highway, and (e) the dependants of the person referred to in clause (a), clause (b) or clause (c), shall enter or reside in the sanctuary, except under and in accordance with the conditions of a permit granted under section 28. (2) Every person shall, so long, as he resides in the sanctuary, be bound— (a) to prevent the commission, in the sanctuary, of an offence against this Act; (b) where there is reason to believe that any such offence against this Act has been committed in such sanctuary, to help in discovering and arresting the offender; (c) to report the death of any wild animal and to safeguard its remains until the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer takes charge thereof; (d) to extinguish any fire in such sanctuary of which he has knowledge or information and to prevent from spreading, by any lawful means in his power, any fire within the vicinity of such sanctuary of which he has knowledge or information; and (e) to assist any forest officer, Chief Wild Life. Warden, Wild Life Warden or police officer demanding his aid for preventing the commission of any offence against this Act or in the investigation of any such offence.

(1) The Chief Wild Life Warden may, on application, grant to any person a permit to enter or reside in a sanctuary for all or any of the following purposes, namely:— (a) investigation or study of wild life and purposes ancillary or incidental thereto; (b) photography; (c) scientific research; (d) tourism; (e) transaction of lawful business with any person residing in the sanctuary. (2) A permit to enter or reside in a sanctuary shall be issued subject to such conditions and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.

No person shall destroy, exploit or remove any wild life including forest produce from a sanctuary or destroy or damage or divert the habitat of any wild animal by any act whatsoever or divert, stop or enhance the flow of water into or outside the sanctuary, except under and in accordance with a permit granted by the Chief Wild Life Warden, and no such permit shall be granted unless the State Government being satisfied in consultation with the Board that such removal of wild life from the sanctuary or the change in the flow of water into or outside the sanctuary is necessary for the improvement and better management of wild life therein, authorises the issue of such permit: Provided that where the forest produce is removed from a sanctuary the same may be used for meeting the personal bona fide needs of the people living in and around the sanctuary and shall not be used for any commercial purpose. Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, grazing or movement of livestock permitted under clause (d) of section 33 shall not be deemed to be an act prohibited under this section.

No person shall set fire to a sanctuary, or kindle any fire, or leave any fire burning, in a sanctuary, in such manner as to endanger such sanctuary.

No person shall enter a sanctuary with any weapon except with the previous permission in writing of the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer.

No person shall use, in a sanctuary, chemicals, explosives or any other substances which may cause injury to, or endanger, any wild life in such sanctuary.

The Chief Wild Life Warden shall be the authority who shall control, manage and maintain all sanctuaries and for that purpose, within the limits of any sanctuary,— (a) may construct such roads, bridges, buildings, fences or barrier gates, and carry out such other works as he may consider necessary for the purposes of such sanctuary: Provided that no construction of commercial tourist lodges, hotels, zoos and safari parks shall be undertaken inside a sanctuary except with the prior approval of the National Board. (b) shall take such steps as will ensure the security of wild animals in the sanctuary and the preservation of the sanctuary and wild animals therein; (c) may take such measures, in the interests of wild life, as he may consider necessary for the improvement of any habitat; (d) may regulate, control or prohibit, in keeping with the interests of wild life, the grazing or movement of live-stock.

(1) The Chief Wild Life Warden shall take such measures in such manner, as may be prescribed, for immunisation against communicable diseases of the live-stock kept in or within five kilometres of a sanctuary. (2) No person shall take, or cause to be taken or grazed, any live-stock in a sanctuary without getting it immunised.

(1) The State Government shall constitute an Advisory Committee consisting of the Chief Wild Life Warden or his nominee not below the rank of Conservator of Forests as its head and shall include a member of the State Legislature within whose constituency the sanctuary is situated, three representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, two representatives of non-governmental organisations and three individuals active in the field of wild life conservation, one representative each from departments dealing with Home and Veterinary matters, Honorary Wild Life Warden, if any, and the officer-in-charge of the sanctuary as Member-Secretary. (2) The Committee shall render advice on measures to be taken for better conservation and management of the sanctuary including participation of the people living within and around the sanctuary. (3) The Committee shall regulate its own procedure including quorum.

(1) Within three months from the declaration of any area as a sanctuary, every person residing in or within ten kilometres of any such sanctuary and holding a licence granted under the Arms Act, 1959(54 of 1959), for the possession of arms or exempted from the provisions of that Act and possessing arms, shall apply in such form, on payment of such fee and within such time as may be prescribed, to the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer, for the registration of his name. (2) On receipt of an application under sub-section (1), the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer shall register the name of the applicant in such manner as may be prescribed. (3) No new licences under the Arms Act, 1959 (54 of 1959) shall be granted within a radius of ten kilometres of a sanctuary without the prior concurrence of the Chief Wild Life Warden.

(1) Whenever it appears to the State Government that an area, whether within a sanctuary or not, is, by reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological or zoological association or importance, needed to be constituted as a National Park for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wild life therein or its environment, it may, by notification, declare its intention to constitute such area as a National Park. Provided that where any part of the territorial waters is proposed to be included in such National Park, the provisions of section 26A shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to the declaration of a National Park as they apply in relation to the declaration of a sanctuary. (2) The notification referred to in sub-section (1) shall define the limits of the area which is intended to be declared as a National Park. (3) Where any area is intended to be declared as a National Park, the provisions of sections 19 to 26A (both inclusive except cause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 24) shall, as far as may, be, apply to the investigation and determination of claims, and extinguishment of rights, in relation to any land in such area as they apply to the said matters in relation to any land in a sanctuary. (4) When the following events have occurred, namely,— (a) the period for preferring claims has elapsed, and all claims, if any, made in relation to any land in an area intended to be declared as a National Park, have been disposed of by the State Government, and (b) all rights in respect of lands proposed to be included in the National Park have become vested in the State Government, the State Government shall publish a notification specifying the limits of the area which shall be comprised within the National Park and declare that the said area shall be a National Park on and from such date as may be specified in the notification. (5) No alteration of the boundaries of a National Park by the State Government shall be made except on a recommendation of the National Board. (6) No person shall destroy, exploit or remove any Wild Life including forest produce from a National Park or destroy or damage or divert the habitat of any wild animal by any act whatsoever or divert, stop or enhance the flow of water into or outside the National Park, except under and in accordance with a permit granted by the Chief Wild Life Warden, and no such permit shall be granted unless the State Government being satisfied in consultation with the National Board that such removal of wild life from the National Park or the change in the flow of water into or outside the National Park is necessary for the improvement and better management of wild life therein, authorises the issue of such permit: Provided that where the forest produce is removed from a National Park, the same may be used for meeting the personal bona fide needs of the people living in and around the National Park and shall not be used for any commercial purpose. (7) No grazing of any live-stock shall be permitted in a National Park and no live-stock shall be allowed to enter therein except where such live-stock is used as a vehicle by a person authorised to enter such National Park. (8) The provisions of sections 27 and 28, sections 30 to 32 (both inclusive), and clauses (a), (b) and (c) of section 33, section 33A shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to a National Park as they apply in relation to a sanctuary. Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, in case of an area, whether within a sanctuary or not, where the rights have been extinguished and the land has become vested in the State Government under any Act or otherwise, such area may be notified by it, by a notification, as a National Park and the proceedings under sections 19 to 26 (both inclusive) and the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4) of this section shall not apply.

(1) The State Government may, after having consultations with the local communities, declare any area owned by the Government,

(1) The State Government shall constitute a conservation reserve management committee to advise the Chief Wild Life Warden to conserve, manage and maintain the conservation reserve. (2) The committee shall consist of a representative of the forest or Wild Life Department, who shall be the Member-Secretary of the Committee, one representative of each Village Panchayat in whose jurisdiction the reserve is located, three representatives of non-governmental organisations working in the field of wild life conservation and one representative each from the Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. (3) The Committee shall regulate its own procedure including the quorum.

(1) The State Government may, where the community or an individual has volunteered to conserve wild life and its habitat, declare any private or community land not comprised within a National Park, sanctuary or a conservation reserve, as a community reserve, for protecting fauna, flora and traditional or cultural conservation values and practices. (2) The provisions of sub-section (2) of section 18, sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of section 27, sections 30, 32 and clauses (b) and (c) of section 33 shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to a community reserve as they apply in relation to a sanctuary. (3) After the issue of notification under sub-section (1), no change in the land use pattern shall be made within the community reserve, except in accordance with a resolution passed by the management committee and approval of the same by the State Government.

(1) The State Government shall constitute a Community Reserve management committee, which shall be the authority responsible for conserving, maintaining and managing the community reserve. (2) The committee shall consist of five representatives nominated by the Village Panchayat or where such Panchayat does not exist by the members of the Gram Sabha and one representative of the State Forests or Wild Life Department under whose jurisdiction the community reserve is located. (3) The committee shall be the competent authority to prepare and implement the management plan for the community reserve and to take steps to ensure the protection of wild life and its habitat in the reserve. (4) The committee shall elect a Chairman who shall also be the Honorary Wild Life Warden on the community reserve. (5) The committee shall regulate its own procedure including the quorum.

Omitted by the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002 (16 of 2003), s. 21(w.e.f. 1-4-2003).

(1) Where the State Government leases or otherwise transfers any area under its control, not being an area within a sanctuary, to the Central Government, the Central Government may, if it is satisfied that the conditions specified in section 18 are fulfilled in relation to the area so transferred to it, declare such area, by notification, to be a sanctuary and the provisions of sections 18 to 35 (both inclusive), 54 and 55 shall apply in relation to such sanctuary as they apply in relation to a sanctuary declared by the State Government. (2) The Central Government may, if it is satisfied that the conditions specified in section 35 are fulfilled in relation to any area referred to in section (1), whether or not such area has been declared, to be a sub sanctuary by the Central Government or the State Government, declare such area, by notification, to be a National Park and the provisions of sections 35, 54 and 55 shall apply in relation to such National Park as they apply in relation to a National Park declared by the State Government. (3) In relation to a sanctuary or National Park declared by the Central Government, the powers and duties of the Chief Wild Life Warden under the sections referred to in sub-sections (1) and (2), shall be exercised and discharged by the Director or by such other officer as may be authorised by the Director in this behalf and references, in the sections aforesaid, to the State Government shall be construed as references to the Central Government and reference therein to the Legislature of the State shall be construed as a reference to Parliament.

(1) The Central Government shall constitute a body to be known as the Central Zoo Authority (hereinafter in this Chapter referred to as the Authority), to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to it under this Act. (2) The Authority shall consist of— (a) chairperson; (b) such number of members not exceeding ten; and (c) Member-Secretary, to be appointed by the Central Government.

(1) The chairperson and every member other than the Member-Secretary shall hold office for such period, not exceeding three years, as may be specified by the Central Government in this behalf. (2) The chairperson or a member may by writing under his hand addressed to the Central Government, resign from the office of chairperson or, as the case may be, of the member. (3) The Central Government shall remove a person from the office of chairperson or member referred to in sub-section (2) if that person— (a) becomes an undischarged insolvent; (b) gets convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for an offence which in the opinion of the Central Government involves moral turpitude; (c) becomes of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; (d) refuses to act or becomes incapable of acting; (e) is, without obtaining leave of absence from the authority, absent from three consecutive meetings of the Authority; or (f) in the opinion of the Central Government has so abused the position of chairperson or member as to render that person’s continuance in office detrimental to the public interest: Provided that no person shall be removed under this clause unless that person has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter. (4) A vacancy caused under sub-section (2) or otherwise shall be filled by fresh appointment. (5) The salaries and allowances and other conditions of appointment of chairperson, members and Member-Secretary of the Authority shall be such as may be prescribed. (6) The Authority shall, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, employ such officers and other employees as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the Authority. (7) The terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees of the Authority shall be such as may be prescribed. (8) No act or proceeding of the Authority shall be questioned or shall be invalid on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancies or defect in the constitution of the Authority.

The Authority shall perform the following functions, namely:— (a) specify the minimum standards for housing, upkeep and veterinary care of the animals kept in a zoo; (b) evaluate and assess the functioning of zoos with respect to the standards or the norms as may be prescribed; (c) recognise or derecognise zoos; (d) identify endangered species of wild animals for purposes of captive breeding and assigning responsibility in this regard to a zoo; (e) co-ordinate the acquisition, exchange and loaning of animals for breeding purposes; (f) ensure maintenance of stud-books of endangered species of wild animals bred in captivity; (g) identify priorities and themes with regard to display of captive animals in a zoo; (h) co-ordinate training of zoo personnel in India and outside India; (i) co-ordinate research in captive breeding and educational programmes for the purposes of zoos; (j) provide technical and other assistance to zoos for their proper management and development on scientific lines; (k) perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act with regard to zoos.

(1) The Authority shall meet as and when necessary and shall meet at such time and place as the chairperson may think fit. (2) The Authority shall regulate its own procedure. (3) All orders and decisions of the Authority shall be authenticated by the Member-Secretary or any other officer of the Authority duly authorised by the Member-Secretary in this behalf.

(1) The Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, make to the Authority grants and loans of such sums of money as that Government may consider necessary. (2) There shall be constituted a Fund to be called the Central Zoo Authority Fund and there shall be credited thereto any grants and loans made to the Authority by the Central Government, all fees and charges received by the Authority under this Act and all sums received by the Authority from such other sources as may be decided upon by the Central Government. (3) The Fund referred to in sub-section (2) shall be applied for meeting salary, allowances and other remuneration of the members, officers and other employees of the Authority and the expenses of the Authority in the discharge of its functions under this Chapter and expenses on objects and for purposes authorised by this Act.

(4) The Authority shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. (5) The accounts of the Authority shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General at such intervals as may be specified by him and any expenditure incurred in connection with such audit shall be payable by the Authority to the Comptroller and Auditor-General. (6) The Comptroller and Auditor-General and any person appointed by him in connection with the audit of the accounts of the Authority under this Act shall have the same rights and privileges and the authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General generally has in connection with the audit of the Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books, accounts, connected vouchers and other documents and papers and to inspect any of the offices of the Authority. (7) The accounts of the Authority, as certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General or any other person appointed by him in this behalf, together with the audit report thereon, shall be forwarded annually to the Central Government by the Authority. 38F. Annual report.—The Authority shall prepare in such form and at such time, for each financial year, as may be prescribed, its annual report, giving a full account of its activities during the previous financial year and forward a copy thereof to the Central Government.

The Central Government shall cause the annual report together with a memorandum of action taken on the recommendations contained therein, in so far as they relate to the Central Government, and the reasons for the non-acceptance, if any, of any of such recommendations and the audit report to be laid as soon as may be after the reports are received before each House of Parliament.

(1) No zoo shall be operated without being recognised by the Authority: Provided that a zoo being operated immediately before the date of commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) (Amendment) Act, 1991(44 of 1991) may continue to operate without being recognised for a period of eighteen months from the date of such commencement and if the application seeking recognition is made within that period, the zoo may continue to be operated until the said application is finally decided or withdrawn and in case of refusal for a further period of six months from the date of such refusal. (1A) On and after the commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002 (16 of 2003) a zoo shall not be established without obtaining the prior approval of the Authority. (2) Every application for recognition of a zoo shall be made to the Authority in such form and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed. (3) Every recognition shall specify the conditions, if any, subject to which the applicant shall operate the zoo. (4) No recognition to a zoo shall be granted unless the Authority, having due regard to the interests of protection and conservation of wild life, and such standards, norms and other matters as may be prescribed, is satisfied that recognition should be granted. (5) No application for recognition of a zoo shall be rejected unless the applicant has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard. (6) The Authority may, for reasons to be recorded by it, suspend or cancel any recognition granted under sub-section (4): Provided that no such suspension or cancellation shall be made except after giving the person operating the zoo a reasonable opportunity of being heard. (7) An appeal from an order refusing to recognise a zoo under sub-section (5) or an order suspending or cancelling a recognition under sub-section (6) shall lie to the Central Government. (8) An appeal under sub-section (7) shall be preferred within thirty days from the date of communication to the applicant of the order appealed against: Provided that the Central Government may admit any appeal preferred after the expiry of the period aforesaid if it is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal in time.

No person shall tease, molest, injure or feed any animal or cause disturbance to the animals by noise or otherwise, or litter the grounds in a zoo.

In this Chapter,— (a) “National Tiger Conservation Authority” means the Tiger Conservation Authority constituted under section 38L; (b) “Steering Committee” means the Committee constituted under section 38U; (c) “Tiger Conservation Foundation” means the foundation established under section 38X; (d) “tiger reserve State” means a State having tiger reserve; (e) “tiger reserve” means the areas notified as such under section 38V.

(1) The Central Government shall constitute a body to be known as the National Tiger Conservation Authority (hereinafter in this Chapter referred to as the Tiger Conservation Authority), to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to it under this Act. (2) The Tiger Conservation Authority shall consist of the following members, namely:— (a) the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests—Chairperson; (b) the Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and Forests—Vice-Chairperson; (c) three members of Parliament of whom two shall be elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States; (d) eight experts or professionals having prescribed qualifications and experience in conservation of wild life and welfare of people living in tiger reserve out of which at least two shall be from the field of tribal development; (e) Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests; (f) Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests; (g) Director, Wild Life Preservation, Ministry of Environment and Forests; (h) six Chief Wild Life Wardens from the tiger reserve States in rotation for three years; (i) an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary and Legislative Counsel from the Ministry of Law and Justice; (j) Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; (k) Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; (l) Chairperson, National Commission for the Scheduled Tribes; (m) Chairperson, National Commission for the Scheduled Castes; (n) Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj; (o) Inspector-General of Forests or an officer of the equivalent rank having at least ten years experience in a tiger reserve or wildlife management, who shall be the Member-Secretary, to be notified by the Central Government, in the Official Gazette. (3) It is hereby declared that the office of member of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall not disqualify its holder for being chosen as, or for being, a member of either House of Parliament.

(1) A member nominated under clause (d) of sub-section (2) of section 38L shall hold office for such period not exceeding three years: Provided that a member may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Central Government, resign from his office. (2) The Central Government shall remove a member referred to in clause (d) of sub-section (2) of section 38L, from office if he— (a) is, or at any time has been, adjudicated as insolvent; (b) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the Central Government, involves moral turpitude; (c) is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; (d) refuses to act or becomes incapable of acting; (e) is, without obtaining leave of absence from the Tiger Conservation Authority, absent from three consecutive meetings of the said Authority; or (f) has, in the opinion of the Central Government, so abused his position as to render his continuation in office detrimental to the public interest: Provided that no member shall be removed under this sub-section unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter. (3) Any vacancy in the office of a member shall be filled by fresh appointment and such member shall continue for the remainder of the term of the member in whose place he is appointed. (4) The salaries and allowances and other conditions of appointment of the members of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall be such as may be prescribed. (5) No act or proceeding of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall be questioned or shall be invalid on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Tiger Conservation Authority.

(1) The Tiger Conservation Authority may, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, appoint such other officers and employees as it considers necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions under this Act: Provided that the officers and employees holding office under the Directorate of Project Tiger and dealing with Project Tiger immediately before the date of constitution of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall continue to hold office in the said Authority by the same tenure and upon the same terms and conditions of service or until the expiry of the period of six months from that date if such employee opts not to be’ the employee of that Authority. (2) The terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall be such as may be prescribed.

(1) The Tiger Conservation Authority shall have the following powers and perform the following functions, namely:— (a) to approve the Tiger Conservation Plan prepared by the State Government under sub-section (5) of section 38V of this Act; (b) evaluate and assess various aspects of sustainable ecology and disallow any ecologically unsustainable land use such as, mining, industry and other projects within the tiger reserves; (c) lay down normative standards for tourism activities and guidelines for project tiger from time to time for tiger conservation in the buffer and core area of tiger reserves and ensure their due compliance; (d) provide for management focus and measures for addressing conflicts of men and wild animals and to emphasise on co-existence in forest areas outside the National Parks, sanctuaries or tiger reserve, in the working plan code; (e) provide information on protection measures including future conservation plan, estimation of population of tiger and its natural prey species, status of habitats, disease surveillance, mortality survey, patrolling, reports on untoward happenings and such other management aspects as it may deem fit including future plan conservation; (f) approve, co-ordinate research and monitoring on tiger, co-predators, prey, habitat, related ecological and socio-economic parameters and their evaluation; (g) ensure that the tiger reserves and areas linking one protected area or tiger reserve with another protected area or tiger reserve are not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses, except in public interest and with the approval of the National Board for Wild Life and on the advice of the Tiger Conservation Authority; (h) facilitate and support the tiger reserve management in the State for biodiversity conservation initiatives through eco-development and people’s participation as per approved management plans and to support similar initiatives in adjoining areas consistent with the Central and State laws; (i) ensure critical support including scientific, information technology and legal support for better implementation of the tiger conservation plan; (j) facilitate ongoing capacity building programme for skill development of officers and staff of tiger reserves; and (k) perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act with regard to conservation of tigers and their habitat. (2) The Tiger Conservation Authority may, in the exercise of its powers and performance of its functions under this Chapter, issue directions in writing to any person, officer or authority for the protection of tiger or tiger reserves and such person, officer or authority shall be bound to comply with the directions: Provided that no such direction shall interfere with or affect the rights of local people particularly the Scheduled Tribes.

(1) The Tiger Conservation Authority shall meet at such time and at such place as the Chairperson may think fit. (2) The Chairperson or in his absence the Vice-Chairperson shall preside over the meetings of the Tiger Conservation Authority. (3) The Tiger Conservation Authority shall regulate its own procedure. (4) All orders and decisions of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall be authenticated by the Member-Secretary or any other officer of the said Authority duly authorised by the Member-Secretary in this behalf.

(1) The Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, make to the Tiger Conservation Authority grants and loans of such sums of money as that Government may consider necessary. (2) There shall be constituted a Fund to be called the Tiger Conservation Authority Fund and there shall be credited thereto— (i) any grants and loans made to the Tiger Conservation Authority by the Central Government; (ii) all fees and charges received by the Tiger Conservation Authority under this Act; and (iii) all sums received by the Authority from such other sources as may be decided upon by the Central Government. (3) The Fund referred to in sub-section (2) shall be applied for meeting salary, allowances and other remuneration of the members, officers and other employees of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the expenses of the Tiger Conservation Authority incurred in the discharge of its functions under this Chapter.

(1) The Tiger Conservation Authority shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. (2) The accounts of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India at such intervals as may be specified by him and any expenditure incurred in connection with such audit shall be payable by the Tiger Conservation Authority to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. (3) The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and any other person appointed by him in connection with the audit of the accounts of the Tiger Conservation Authority shall have the same rights and privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General generally has in connection with the audit of the Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books, accounts, connected vouchers and other documents and papers and to inspect the office of the Tiger Conservation Authority. (4) The accounts of the Tiger Conservation Authority as certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or any other person appointed by him in this behalf together with the audit report thereon, shall be forwarded annually to the Central Government by the Tiger Conservation Authority.

The Tiger Conservation Authority shall prepare in such form and at such time, for each financial year, as may be prescribed, its annual report, giving a full account of its activities during the previous financial year and forward a copy thereof to the Central Government.

The Central Government shall cause the annual report together with a memorandum of action taken on the recommendations contained therein, insofar as they relate to the Central Government, and the reasons for the non-acceptance, if any, of any of such recommendations, and the audit report to be laid, as soon as may be after the reports are received, before each House of Parliament.

(1) The State Government may constitute a Steering Committee for ensuring co-ordination, monitoring, protection and conservation of tiger, co-predators and prey animals within the tiger range States. (2) The Steering Committee shall consists of— (a) the Chief Minister —Chairperson; (b) the Minister in-charge of Wild Life —Vice-Chairperson; (c) such number of official members not exceeding five including at least two Field Directors of tiger reserve or Director of National Park and one from the State Government’s Departments dealing with tribal affairs; (d) three experts or professionals having qualifications and experience in conservation of wild life of which at least one shall be from the field of tribal development, (e) two members from the State’s Tribal Advisory Council; (f) one representative each from State Government’s Departments dealing with Panchayati Raj and Social Justice and Empowerment; (g) Chief Wild Life Warden of the State shall be the Member-Secretary, ex officio, to be notified by the State Government, in the Official Gazette.

(1) The State Government shall, on the recommendation of the Tiger Conservation Authority, notify an area as a tiger reserve. (2) The provisions of sub-section (2) of section 18, sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of section 27, sections 30,32 and clauses (b) and (c) of section 33 of this Act shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to a tiger reserve as they apply in relation to a sanctuary. (3) The State Government shall prepare a Tiger Conservation Plan including staff development and deployment plan for the proper management of each area referred to in sub-section (1), so as to ensure— (a) protection of tiger reserve and providing site specific habitat inputs for a viable population of tigers, co-predators and prey animals without distorting the natural prey-predator ecological cycle in the habitat; (b) ecologically compatible land uses in the tiger reserves and areas linking one protected area or tiger reserve with another for addressing the livelihood concerns of local people, so as to provide dispersal habitats and corridor for spill over population of wild animals from the designated core areas of tiger reserves or from tiger breeding habitats within other protected areas; (c) the forestry operations of regular forest divisions and those adjoining tiger reserves are not incompatible with the needs of tiger conservation. (4) Subject to the provisions contained in this Act, the State Government shall, while preparing a Tiger Conservation Plan, ensure the agricultural, livelihood, developmental and other interests of the people living in tiger bearing forests or a tiger reserve, Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the expression “tiger reserve” includes— (i) core or critical tiger habitat areas of National Parks and sanctuaries, where it has been established, on the basis of scientific and objective criteria, that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purposes of tiger conservation, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers, and. notified as such by the State Government in consultation with an Expert Committee constituted for the purpose; (ii) buffer or peripheral area consisting of the area peripheral to critical tiger habitat or core area, identified and established in accordance with the provisions contained in Explanation (i) above, where a lesser degree of habitat protection is required to ensure the integrity of the critical tiger habitat with adequate dispersal for tiger species, and which aim at promoting co-existence between wildlife and human activity with due recognition of the livelihood, developmental, social and cultural rights of the local people, wherein the limits of such areas are determined on the basis of scientific and objective criteria in consultation with the concerned Gram Sabha and an Expert Committee constituted for the purpose. (5) Save as for voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions, provided that such terms and conditions satisfy the requirements laid down in this sub-section, no Scheduled Tribes or other forest dwellers shall be resettled or have their rights adversely affected for the purpose of creating inviolate areas for tiger conservation unless—

(1) No alteration in the boundaries of a tiger reserve shall be made except on a recommendation of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the approval of the National Board for Wild Life. (2) No State Government shall de-notify a tiger reserve, except in public interest with the approval of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wild Life.

(1) The State Government shall establish a Tiger Conservation Foundation for tiger reserves within the State in order to facilitate and support their management for conservation of tiger and biodiversity and, to take initiatives in eco-development by involvement of people in such development process. (2) The Tiger Conservation Foundation shall, inter alia, have the following objectives:— (a) to facilitate ecological, economic, social and cultural development in the tiger reserves; (b) to promote eco-tourism with the involvement of local stake-holder communities and provide support to safeguard the natural environment in the tiger reserves; (c) to facilitate the creation of, and or maintenance of, such assets as may be necessary for fulfilling the above said objectives; (d) to solicit technical, financial, social, legal and other support required for the activities of the Foundation for achieving the above said objectives; (e) to augment and mobilise financial resources including recycling of entry and such other fees received in a tiger reserve, to foster stake-holder development and eco-tourism; (f) to support research, environmental education and training in the above related fields.