The Lok Sabha on December 05, 2025, issued the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2024, further to amend the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The following has been amended, namely: -
• The Bill amends the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, to introduce a clear definition of “invasive species” as non-native flora or fauna that cause ecological, economic, or health harm.
• It empowers the removal or destruction of invasive species from forest land under specified conditions and allows the Chief Wildlife Warden to grant permits for such actions.
• A new institutional framework is created with the Invasive Species Control Bureau and an Invasive Species Committee to coordinate identification, management, monitoring, data collection, and policy advice on invasive species.
• The amendments also include immunity from prosecution for unintentional harm caused before a species is declared invasive, and update rule-making powers to enable the implementation of these invasive species management provisions.
• Overall, the Bill strengthens India’s legal framework for addressing invasive species threats to wildlife and habitats.
[Bill No. 260 of 2024]
