UPSC Prelims 2023 Question:

Consider the following statements

Once the Central Government notifies an area as a 'Community Reserve'

1. the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State becomes the governing authority of such forest
2. hunting is not allowed in such area
3. people of such area are allowed to collect non-timber forest produce
4. people of such area are allowed traditional agricultural practices
   
   

How many of the above statements are correct?

Explanation:

• Conservation reserves and community reserves in India are terms denoting protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
  
  
• These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land, and land use.
  
  
• Community Reserve Management Committee: The State Government shall constitute a Community Reserve management committee, which shall be the authority responsible for conserving, maintaining and managing the community reserve. The committee shall elect a Chairman who shall also be the Honorary Wild Life Warden on the community reserve. So, statement 1 not is correct.
  
  
• Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities and community areas if part of the lands are privately owned. Thus, people of such areas are allowed to collect non-timber forest produce. So, statement 3 is correct.
  
  
• After a forest has been made into a community reserve, people cannot hunt there, nor can they use it for agricultural practices, leave alone jhum cultivation. So, statement 2 is correct and statement 4 is incorrect.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer. 

Subject: Environment | Environmental Acts and Policies