What steps have been taken by the Government of India to protect the flora and fauna of the country?
The diversity of flora and fauna provides richness to country’s natural heritage. They are essential for the survival of human being and to maintain ecological balance.
Due to excessive exploitation of the plants and animal resources by human being some of them are on the verge of extinction and some are already extinct.
To stop the indiscriminate destruction of natural ecosystem and to protect the natural heritage, government has taken following steps
(i) 14 biosphere reserves have been set-up in the country to protect flora and fauna. Four out of these, the Sunderbans in the West Bengal, Nanda Devi in Uttarakhand, the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, the Nilgiris (Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) have been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
(ii) Financial and technical assistance is provided to many botanical gardens by the government since 1992.
(iii) Many other eco-developmental projects have been introduced such as Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard, etc.
(iv) 89 national parks, 490 wildlife sanctuaries and zoological gardens are set-up to take care of Natural heritage.