COIMBATORE, Nov 22: The Centre is considering the introduction of a comprehensive legislation to protect three biodiversity hotspots in the Himalayas, North East and Western Ghats, besides amending the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 to check poaching of tigers. Announcing this here today, Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said the Ministry is holding talks with State Governments to bring in the law as tourism activities -- leisure tourism or religious tourism -- have an “adverse impact” on their biodiversity and ecological balance. “I am determined to protect the ecology since unbridled tourism is disturbing the balance,” he said when his attention was drawn to widespread damage caused by heavy rain and resultant landslips in Nilgiris district last week. The minister observed that poaching of tigers has become a serious issue and said the Ministry decided to amend the Wildlife Act to make punishment for such crimes very stringent, on the lines of Foreign Exchange and Money Laundering Act. (PTI)
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