Lok Sabha Question No. 1942 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-29
Subject: Poaching of Rhinoceros
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: NABA KUMAR SARANIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1942

TO BE ANSWERED ON  29.12.2017

## Poaching of Rhinoceros

## 1942. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

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

- (a) whether poaching of Rhinoceros  is  still  continuing  in  Assam  and  if  so,  the  number  of Rhinoceros poached during the last three years and the current year;
- (b) whether the Government has any special plan to control the same and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has any plan to arm forest guards of Assam with latest weapons to prevent such incidents and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) As informed by the State Government, poaching of Rhinoceros has been noted in the State of  Assam. Number of Rhinoceros poached during last the three years and the current year are as under:
- (b) The steps taken by the State Government  for preservation of Rhinoceros in Assam  are as follows:
- i. The  armed  personnel  in  Kaziranga  National  Park  have  been deployed.  Presently,  382  numbers  of  Assam  Forest  Protection Force  personnel,  119-Armed  Home  Guards  besides  the  regular Forest  Staff  have  been  deployed  in  Kaziranga  National  Park.  50 additional Home Guards have been deployed in Kaziranga National Park recently.
- ii. Sophisticated  weapons  like  INSAS  Rifles  and  SLR  has  been procured  by  the  State  Government  for  use  in  Kaziranga  National Park for anti poaching activities.
- iii. For soliciting  cooperation  from  fringe villagers  around  Kaziranga National Park and assist in curving Rhino poaching, 50 numbers of Eco-development Committees have been registered through which development works in the villages are being taken up.
- iv. Arrangement has been made to keep 24 hours surveillance on the park through Electronic Eye Surveillance System and drones.
- v. A  Special  Task  Force  (STF)  headed  by  an  Additional  Director General  of  Police  has  been  constituted  by  the  Government  of Assam to curve Rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park.
- vi. Number of anti-poaching camps have been increased in Kaziranga National Park to increase effective surveillance in and around the Park.
- vii. Joint  operation  by  Forest,  Police  and  STF  is  also  conducted regularly to nab the suspected poachers and joint patrolling is also carried out regularly.
- ( c ) During  2016-2017,  under  the  programme  'Modernization  of  Arms  and Ammunitions' of Government of Assam, the department has procured modern arms like INSAS Rifle (272 Nos.), SLR (874 Nos.), 12 Bore Rifle (133 Nos.), Ghaatak Rifle (91 Nos.) and 9 MM Pistol (22 Nos.)  for the field staff.

|   Year | No. of rhinoceros poached   |
|--------|-----------------------------|
|   2014 | 32                          |
|   2015 | 21                          |
|   2016 | 22                          |
|   2017 | 8 (as on 26.12.2017)        |

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