Lok Sabha Question No. 96 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-02
Subject: Wildlife Reserves
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: KALYAN BANERJEE

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.96

TO BE ANSWERED ON  02.02.2018

## Wildlife Reserves

## 96. SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE:

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

- (a) whether Wildlife Reserves in the country are under threat of deadly crossings which causes fatality of many animals and humans;
- (b) if  so,  the  details    of  fatality  reported  in  last  five  years  in  different  reserves  due  to unsafe railway and highway passing;
- (c) the details of the study report of the Wildlife Institute of India and scientists for the safeguard of wildlife's therein; and
- (d) the  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  the  protection  of  wildlife  in  such reserves?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Cases  of  occurrence  of  death  of  wildlife  on  roads/railway  lines  passing  through National Parks and Sanctuaries has come to the notice of this Ministry.
- (b) Protection of wildlife in the wildlife reserves is the mandate of the concerned State/UT Governments.  Information  available  with  the  Ministry  regarding  tiger  and  elephant fatalities due to road and railways during the last five years is given in the Annexure.
- (c) The  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  conducted  a  long  term  (2008-2012)  study  of  the 'Ecological  effects  of road  through  sensitive  habitats:  Implications  for  wildlife conservation'. The study recommended several measures for preventing road induced impacts  for  harmonising conservation and development.  The information  generated through  this  study  has  been  published  as  a  document  'Eco-friendly  Measures  to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure'.
- (d) The action taken by the Government for protection of wildlife in such reserves are as below:
- i. A  general  advisory  has  been  issued  jointly  to  all  the  railway  zones  and relevant  States  Governments  suggesting  measures  to  prevent  collision  of trains  with  wild  elephants.  Some  of  the  important  recommendations  are given below:
- (a) Clearance of vegetation on the sides of railway tracks.
- (b) Underpasses/overpasses/girder  bridges  across  vulnerable  stretches  of

railway tracks to allow safe passage elephants.

- (c) Signage boards at selected points to alert train drivers.
- (d) Sensitization programmes for Train Drivers/Guards/Station Masters.
- (e) Engagement  of  elephant  trackers  and  communication  with  Station Masters.
- (f) To keep Railway tracks free from food wastes, that attracts elephants.
- ii. A permanent coordination  committee  has  been  constituted  jointly  by  the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Environment and Forests to share information and monitor the implementation of the advisory.
- iii. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is funding a project to the  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  to  assess  and  mitigate  impacts  of  linear infrastructure  in  3  landscapes  viz.  North  Eastern,  Central  Indian  and Western Ghats to refine strategies for mitigation.
- iv. Sensitization workshops are periodically arranged for linear infrastructure developers.
- v. The Standing  Committee  of  NBWL  recommends  the  proposals  for developmental  project  for  construction/repair  of  roads  passing  through Wildlife  sanctuaries,  National  Parks,  buffer  zones  along  with  mitigation measures on a case to case basis.

***

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 96 REGARDING 'WILDLIFE RESERVES' RAISED BY SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE, DUE FOR REPLY OF 02.02.2018

## Details of  tiger fatalities reported due to road and rail traffic accidents during last five years :

| Year   |   Road |   Rail |   Total |
|--------|--------|--------|---------|
| 2013   |      0 |      2 |       2 |
| 2014   |      2 |      1 |       3 |
| 2015   |      1 |      2 |       3 |
| 2016   |      2 |      2 |       4 |
| 2017   |      1 |      2 |       3 |
| Total  |      6 |      9 |      15 |

## Details of  elephant casualties in train accidents during last five years

| S.No.   | State         |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 | 2016-17   |
|---------|---------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1       | Assam         |         7 |         1 |         3 |         3 | 10        |
| 2       | West Bengal   |         4 |        13 |         3 |         5 | 3         |
| 3       | Tamil Nadu    |         0 |         0 |         0 |         0 | 2         |
| 4       | Jharkhand     |         1 |         1 |         0 |         0 | 2         |
| 5       | Kerala        |         0 |         0 |         0 |         0 | 2         |
| 6       | Odisha        |        11 |         1 |         0 |         1 | 0         |
| 7       | Tripura       |         0 |         0 |         0 |         0 | NR        |
| 8       | Uttarakhand   |         2 |         0 |         0 |         0 | 2         |
| 9       | Uttar Pradesh |         0 |         1 |         0 |         0 | 0         |
|         | Total         |        25 |        17 |         6 |         9 | 21        |