Mangaluru: The National Environment Care Federation (NECF) has called on Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot to revoke recent appointments to the Karnataka State Board for Wildlife (KSBWL), which include individuals with political connections but lack expertise in ecology, wildlife, and forest habitats. In a letter, NECF secretary Shashidhar Shetty expressed disappointment over the current composition of the KSBWL, emphasizing the board’s crucial role in advising the state government on wildlife conservation.
Shetty criticized the state government for appointing politically connected individuals without relevant expertise amid ongoing development projects in Karnataka’s forested districts. He highlighted that Karnataka boasts some of the best ecologists and conservation organizations, none of whom were nominated to the board. This, he argued, marks a new low in appointments to statutory committees, suggesting the government has yielded to vested interests, aiming to push through projects at the expense of conservation.
Shetty alleged that the appointees were selected for perks rather than expertise, undermining the board’s integrity. He pointed out that the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, mandates that 10 out of 31 board members be “eminent conservationists.” Instead, the state government has appointed relatives of ministers, MLAs, and party workers, including a general surgeon and an orthodontist, raising serious concerns about the appointment criteria.
The NECF urged the governor to cancel these appointments and initiate a new selection process to include individuals with genuine expertise and a proven track record in wildlife conservation, ensuring the KSBWL can fulfill its mandate effectively.