BJP MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi has been made a member of the newly reconstituted National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Maneka,incidentally,had opposed the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act which paved way for setting up the Authority in 2006,objecting to powers being given to Gram Sabhas. She had called the legislation the worst Bill since 1947,which would kill tigers.
Maneka,however,seems to have changed her mind now. She said that despite it being a bad Bill she supported it as at least it was a step further to save the wildlife.
Headed by Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh,NTCA has eight wildlife expertsBrijendra Singh,P K Sen,Valmik Thapar,Prakash Mulidhar Amte,Urmila Pingle,K Ullas Karanth,Samar Singh and Aparjita Duttaand two MPsManeka and Rajya Sabha MP Santosh Bagrodiaas its members.