Krishna B Karki

Kathmandu:

Nepal and India have committed themselves to conservation of biodiversity by being signatory parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) but the improvements made in implementation of CITES is rather slow and these governments need to work on them. Especially towards formulation of CITES friendly legislations and policies, the author of the book ‘CITES Implementation in Nepal and India: Law, Policy and Practice’, says Dr Ravi Sharma Aryal.Dr Aryal, a legal expert who has actively contributed as a member of several law drafting teams, he was also a judge at the Special Court formed to see cases related to conservation issues, and a government undersecretary at the Ministry of Law Justice and Parliamentary affairs. Dr Aryal minutely analyses complicated conservation law related issues in Nepal and India and presents them in simply and clearly.The book, a doctrinal research work, would be of great use to academicians, conservation activists and legal practitioners working in this sector and for policy makers, this book can be a source for ideas. Keeping in mind that a lot of changes in policy and practices related to conservation issues have undergone in the recent years, Dr Aryal is mindful to include some recent trends and their effectiveness in conserving biodiversity in these two countries — Nepal and India. However, he should have praised some of the successful conservation efforts undertaken by both the countries in recent days also.Published by Bhrikuti Academic Publications, Exhibition Road, Kathmandu and divided in seven chapters, and priced Rs 1,495 for the hardcover edition, the book begins by giving a brief introduction to nature conservation issues and its history in Nepal and India dating back to the Vedic era.The following chapters give a brief but clear outline on the existing laws, policy and practices regarding conservation, trade in wild life and their derivatives both in Nepal and India. Aryal puts down findings based on interviews with officials concerned with CITES implementation in the countries, which makes the text useful to policy makers.