Gangtok: The Sikkim Forest Department convened the inaugural meeting of the State Board for Wildlife’s Standing Committee on Friday. The primary focus of the meeting was to deliberate on 16 proposals seeking wildlife clearances within the state’s sanctuaries.
Chaired by Forest and Environment Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha, the meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including senior forest officials, representatives from the Army, Border Road Organization (BRO), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Power Department.
The committee emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, while processing wildlife clearance proposals.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Dr. Pradeep Kumar highlighted the need for meticulous adherence to guidelines and addressed specific concerns requiring attention from user agencies.
Minister Lepcha acknowledged the challenges in processing proposals and urged for improved coordination between user agencies and Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs). He emphasized the importance of ensuring compliance with wildlife laws and submitting proposals according to prescribed rules to expedite the approval process.
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