By IANS,
New Delhi: The union cabinet Thursday asked the law and environment ministers to rework amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 that ensures tougher punishment and enhanced powers to enforcement agencies to act against poachers and organised gangs.
“Amendment to Wildlife Protection Act 1972 came in the cabinet meeting today (Thursday). Law minister who has made some recommendation for changes was not there. Law and environment ministers will meet on this and it will come back to cabinet,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told after the cabinet meeting.
The amendment calls for making some offences against certain endangered animals, including illegal trade in wildlife products, punishable by at least seven years in prison or a fine up to Rs.25 lakh or both.
As of now, the most serious crime is punishable by a maximum of six years in prison and a fine of at least Rs.25,000.
Most of the penal provisions in the current law are proposed to be enhanced significantly to crack down on wildlife poaching networks that are getting increasingly sophisticated in their organisation and operations.