The Vanishing: India’s Wildlife Crisis, Prerna Singh Bindra’s latest book is a collection of Bindra’s experiences about her expeditions across India’s forests. The book also includes anecdotes of Bindra’s disappointment while serving as a core member of the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife.   

Bindra, who believes that we are currently going through an “ecological holocaust”, said that Indira Gandhi’s time was a golden period for India’s wildlife in terms of strong legal and policy framework. Post the economic liberalisation, she believes, that there has been a dilution of all the safeguards that protect environment and wildlife. “Unless a country is ecologically secure there can be no sustainable growth,” said Bindra. Things which were not looking bright during the UPA-II regime, have only gotten worse, she adds.

In her book, Bindra also talks about Jairam Ramesh, former environment and wildlife minister who was known as ‘Dr No’ for calling out the government’s ruthless and counter-productive measures and policies when it came to conservation. “Despite having a 90 per cent clearance rate, simply because he declined a few projects the ministry came to be known as the ‘Roadblock Ministry’,” Bindra told Newslaundry.  Speaking about Prakash Javedkar’s time as MoS for the Ministry of Environment, Bindra said that despite BJP’s announcements regarding India’s success in increasing tiger population, Javedkar’s ministry had begun orchestrating its destruction.

According to Bindra, it is time to rethink our definition of development. “Of course, our GDP will increase when a forest is cut down because then we get access to timbre and minerals. On the other hand, a standing forest which absorbs greenhouse gases, conserves soil and provides oxygen has zero value?” she asked.