The country may be facing dire wildlife conservation crises on several fronts, but it turns out that its apex conservation board, chaired by no less than the prime minister, has little time to even meet. Few of its decisions are implemented on the ground anyway. This has prompted many of its members to call for a complete overhaul of its functioning. Right now, it is for all practical purposes non-functional. The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) was constituted in 2003 to promote conservation and development of wildlife and forests. The last full board meeting was held in November 2007. "The panel is a clearing house (for projects). It must be scrapped. We need a new one." Valmik Thapar NBWL member At least one such meeting has to be convened by the PM each year but 2008 went by and it is still to meet this year. The standing committee