CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -A meeting of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) held under the presidentship of Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister, who is also President of the board, announced formation of 12 new conservation reserves spread in 692.04 sq km and three new wildlife sanctuaries with expansion of Lonar.

Detailed explanation-2: -Maharashtra has become the first Indian State to declare critical wildlife habitats with the Naigaon Peacock Sanctuary in Beed district and the Yedshi-Ramling Wildlife Sanctuary in Osmanabad district. With this, the state becomes one of the 10 such identified habitats.

Detailed explanation-3: -Mumbai: In a major boost for wildlife and environment conservation in the state, the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife (MSBWL) has approved 18 new conservation reserves and granted in-principle approvals for seven more. This will take the total number of these areas in the state to 52 from the previous 27.

Detailed explanation-4: -Who is the chairman of National Board for Wildlife? The Prime Minister of the country is the ex officio chairperson of the NBWL and the Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is the Vice-Chairperson of the Board.

Detailed explanation-5: -Much of our wildlife, a large part of which is found in no other country of world, are being adequately conserved and protected in hitherto 35 sanctuaries.