New Delhi, Dec 8 When India underwent a national lockdown due to the pandemic, frequent sightings of wild animals in urban areas led to the misleading assumption that our natural biodiversity had begun to reclaim lost ground and getting restored due to reduced human interference. The reality, however, is markedly the opposite, says Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCL Technologies and Founder, The Habitats Trust.
"The pandemic induced closure catapulted the natural world into a free-fall as it ended up reducing vigilance efforts by the government. TRAFFIC India's report noted an alarming 151 per cent increase in poaching during the pandemic. It has not only endangered efforts towards controlling wildlife trafficking, but also imperiled conservation efforts across the country who work in tandem with the government. This also underlines the need for conservation organisations to be supported in these unprecedented times," Nadar Malhotra, who has topped the list of India's wealthiest women, told life in an email interview.
A passionate conservationist, Nadar Malhotra, and her husband, set up The Habitats Trust
( With inputs from IANS )
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