Lok Sabha Question No. 4170 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Population of Wild Animals
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4170 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2017

## Population of Wild Animals

## 4170.   SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of increase in the population of wild animals in some forest areas;
- (b) whether the Government has received complaints from farmers regarding attack on them by wild animals in their fields; and
- (c) if so, the remedial measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) Yes,  Sir.  There  has  been  increase  in  the  population  of  certain  wild  animals  in some areas of the forest.
- (b) Complaints have been received from various state governments regarding attacks on farmers by the wild animals in their fields.
- (c) In order to support farmers and victims of depredations/attacks by wild animals, State  Governments provide ex-gratia relief  for  farmers  in  respect  of  damage  to crops and loss of human lives from their own funds as well from the assistance provided  by  Central  Government.  The  amount  of ex-gratia relief  eligible  for assistance under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for payment to the victims of predation/depredation by wild animals is at Annexure .

Further,  the  Central  Government  provides  financial  assistance  to  State/Union Territory  Governments  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project Tiger' and 'Project Elephant' for the management of wildlife and its habitats in the country, which inter alia helps in preventing human-animal  conflict and support the farmers. The  activities supported under the Schemes inter alia include construction /erection of physical barriers,  such  as  barbed  wire  fence,  solar  powered  electric  fence,  bio-fencing using cactus, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields;  improvement  of  wildlife  habitat  of  wild  animals  by  augmenting  the availability of food and water in forest areas to reduce the entry of animals from forests  to  habitations  and  setting  up  of  anti-depredation  squads  to  drive  away problematic animals.

Ministry on 24 th December, 2014 issued an advisory to the States highlighting the legal  provisions  under  the  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972  to  deal  with  the human-wildlife conflict situations. Vide this advisory, Ministry has also sought proposals from State/Union Territory Governments, after objective assessment of the situation with details of the areas in which notification under section 62 of the Act,  declaring  any  wild  animals  in  Schedule  V  for  specified  period,  could  be helpful in management of conflict.

Based  on  the  proposals  from  the  state  of  Bihar,  Himachal  Pradesh    and Uttarakhand such notification have been issued for listing wild pig in Uttarakhand, monkeys in Himachal Pradesh  and Nilgai and wild pig in Bihar  in Schedule V of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

The Ministry of Agriculture in consultation with MOEF has issued an Advisory in March 2012 for the management of Blue Bulls in the country. This Advisory, inter-alia , indicates various strategies and options for the mitigation of blue bull conflict situations.

***

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4170 REGARDING 'POPULATION OF WILD ANIMALS' BY SHRI JUGAL KISHORE DUE FOR REPLY ON 28.3.2017

The amount of ex-gratia relief eligible for assistance under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for payment to the victims of predation/depredation by wild animals:

| Sl. No.   | Nature of damage caused by wild animals   | Amount of ex-gratia relief                             |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| (a)       | Death or permanent incapacitation         | Rs. 2,00,000/-                                         |
| (b)       | Grievous injury                           | 30% of (a)                                             |
| (c)       | Minor injury                              | Cost of treatment                                      |
| (d)       | Loss of property                          | Value of loss/damage as assessed by authorized officer |