Wildlife Crime Bureau to be in place soon: Bill in monsoon session

New Delhi, June 19 (UNI) Concerned over increasing poaching of endangered animals and illegal trade in their parts, the National Wildlife Board, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, today gave final clearance to creation of a Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) armed with investigative powers.

''Setting up the Bureau will require an amendment in the Wildlife Protection Act and the bill for the purpose would be brought in the monsoon session Parliament, ''Environment and Forest Minister A Raja told reporters after meeting of the Board, presided over by the Prime Minister, here today.

The Ministry has received opinion of the Law Ministry to which the proposal had been referred and now an enabling section will have to be added in the existing Act to set up the Bureau, he said.

The WCCB, which is to work under the Ministry of Forest and Environment, will have investigative power at par with the Narcotics Cotrol Bureau, and it will coordinate with other forces in its job, he said.

It would act as a multi-disciplinary agency with officers from forest and wildlife departments, various para-military forces (police, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Indo-Tibet Border Police, Border Security Force and customs.

Later, Minister of State Namonarain Meena said the Bureau would work towards evolving a national policy for checkimg the illegal trade in animal products and to probe wildlife crimes in a professional manner.

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