A listing on the government’s National Single Window System (NSWS) portal offering approval for the diversion of tiger reserve land for “ecologically unsustainable uses” has triggered alarm among environmentalists and raised serious questions about conservation policy.
The NSWS platform, designed to streamline approvals for businesses and infrastructure projects, includes a clearance category under the environment ministry that allows applications to divert tiger reserve land for activities such as mining, industry and other non-ecological uses.
Conservationists say the very existence of such an option contradicts the core purpose of tiger reserves and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The NSWS is a digital platform that guides project proponents in identifying and applying for approvals based on business requirements. It hosts applications from 32 central departments and 32 state governments. The website is managed by Invest India, a non-profit company under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), which functions under the commerce ministry.
Among 46 clearances listed under the ministry of environment on the platform is one that states approval is required for any person or entity interested in diverting a tiger reserve for “ecologically unsustainable uses” as specified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
These uses include mining, industrial activities and other projects within tiger reserves.
The commerce ministry and DPIIT did not respond to queries till the time of publication.
A senior official from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) said the ministry neither communicated nor vetted such terminology for hosting on the NSWS portal.
“All proposals related to wildlife, forest, environment and coastal regulation zone clearances are applied and processed through the PARIVESH 2.0 portal. Therefore, the page is providing misleading information through the NSWS portal. It is factually incorrect and the ministry has informed DPIIT in this regard,” the official said.
It remains unclear when the clearance category first appeared on the NSWS website or whether any application has been submitted under it.
Contradiction with conservation mandate
Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is tasked with promoting conservation and development of wildlife and forests. The standing committee of the NBWL reviews all applications for diversion of wildlife-supporting areas.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which oversees policies related to tiger conservation, is specifically mandated to ensure that tiger reserves and wildlife corridors are not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses except in cases of public interest and with the approval of the NBWL and on the advice of the NTCA.
Environmentalists argue that the portal’s wording appears to contradict this conservation mandate.
Debi Goenka, executive trustee of Conservation Action Trust, called the listing deeply concerning.
“This open invitation to apply for diversion of land from a Tiger Reserve for non-ecological activities is a blatant admission that commercial exploitation is being prioritised over preservation,” Goenka said. “It signals an intent to replace natural ecosystems with safari parks, ecotourism resorts and commercial ventures. The timing is also striking, given that India is hosting the Global Conference on Tiger Conservation.”
India has 58 designated tiger reserves under the NTCA, covering approximately 84,500 square kilometres. According to the 2022 tiger census, the country is home to at least 3,167 tigers more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population.
The tiger is India’s national animal and a flagship species for conservation efforts.
The preamble to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, describes the law as one enacted to ensure ecological and environmental security by protecting wild animals, birds and plants.
The controversy over the NSWS listing has now intensified scrutiny over how conservation safeguards are being reflected or potentially diluted within government clearance systems designed to fast-track development projects.