Lok Sabha Question No. 4635 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-23
Subject: Arming Wildlife Wardens against Poachers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  4635

TO BE ANSWERED ON  23.03.2018

## Arming Wildlife Wardens against Poachers

## 4635.    SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN :

Will  the  Minister  of ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether  poaching  of  the  single-horned  rhinoceros  in  the  Kaziranga  National  Park  and other Wildlife Sanctuaries, such as Orang National Park, and Pobitora Park etc. is on the rise in the recent times;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the number of rhinoceros killed in these sanctuaries by the poachers in the past five years;
- (c) whether the  examination of the kill sites and the bullets used, reveal that the poachers have been using very sophisticated firearms, such as AK-56 rifles, M16 and M4 carbines and  if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether there is any proposal with his Ministry to equip the Wildlife Wardens with the indigenous hybrid rifle, Ghatak, in an effort to modernize their equipment to challenge the poachers and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) and (b) Information received from the State of Assam shows the details of rhinos poached  during  the  last  five  years    which  indicates  that  there  is  no increase in killing of rhinoceros in the State except in 2016.
- (c) Yes, Madam. Details of recovery of arms and ammunition in Kaziranga National Park is  given in the Annexure.
- (d) The Assam Forest Department has already  procured following arms  to modernised field level staff engaged  in protection of rhino and other wild animals:
- i. SLR -954 nos.
- ii. INSAS -272 nos.
- iii. Ghatak -91 nos.
- iv. 12 Bore Rifles (PA giver) -133 nos.
- v. 9 mm pistol -20 nos.

|   Year |   No. of Rhino poached |
|--------|------------------------|
|   2013 |                     41 |
|   2014 |                     32 |
|   2015 |                     21 |
|   2016 |                     22 |
|   2017 |                      8 |

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## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF    THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4635 REGARDING 'ARMING WILDLIFE WARDENS AGAINST POACHERS' RAISED BY SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN DUE FOR REPLY ON 23.3.2018

## Details of recovery of arms and ammunition in Kaziranga National Park

|   Year | Arms                                                                                                                | Ammunition                                                                                                                                                      | Others                                                                                                                                |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   2013 | 1. 0.303-7 nos. 2. Stand Gun-1no 3. Silencer-2nos.                                                                  | 70 Rds                                                                                                                                                          | -                                                                                                                                     |
|   2014 | 1. 0.303-11 nos. 2. Rifle bore not ascertain- 3 nos. 3. SBBL-2nos. 4. Handmade Gun-4 nos 5. Silencer-2 nos.         | 83 Rds                                                                                                                                                          | -                                                                                                                                     |
|   2015 | 1. 0.303 -16 nos. 2. .315 -3 nos. 3. Handmade Gun-2 nos 4. .85mm pistol -1 no 5. .22 rifle -3 nos 6. Silencer-8 nos | Total ammunition- 220 Rds                                                                                                                                       | -                                                                                                                                     |
|   2016 | 1. 0.303 Rifles-8 nos. 2. AK-47-1 no 3. .22 Rifle-1 no 4. Handmade Gun-2 nos                                        | 120 Rds                                                                                                                                                         | 1.AK-47 rifle Magzine-2 nos 2. 303 rifles Magzine-3 no 3.Silencer-2 nos 4. Rifles bolt-2 no. 5.Rifle Butt-1 no 6. Body of .303 rifle- |
|   2017 | 1. 303 Rifle -1 no. 2. Modified .303 MKIV Rifle-3 nos 3. Automated AK series Rifle-1 no 4. .303 Rifle bolt- 2 nos   | 1. .303 live ammunitions--32 Rds 2. Suspected .22 ammunition-1 Rd 3. .30-60 Live Ammunition-10 Rds 4. 5.56 Live Ammunition-15 Rds 5. .66 Live Ammunition-05 Rds | -                                                                                                                                     |