Lok Sabha Question No. 179 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-29
Subject: Transgression of Wild Animals into Human Settlements
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: M. CHANDRAKASI

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *179

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.12.2017

## Transgression of Wild Animals into Human Settlements

## *179.   SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI:

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

- (a) whether incidence of transgression of wild animals into human settlements has shown an increasing trend and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  wild  animals  come  out  of  forests  in  search  of  food  and  water  due  to  its scarcity in forests and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details regarding availability of food and water in reserved/protected forests in the country as compared to that in sanctuaries/national parks; and
- (d) the steps proposed to be taken to prevent man-animal conflicts due to food and water scarcity in forest areas?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a), (b), (c) and (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b), (c) and (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*179 REGARDING 'TRANSGRESSION OF WILD ANIMALS INTO HUMAN SETTLEMENTS' BY SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI DUE FOR REPLY ON 29.12.2017

- (a) Incidents  of  movement  of  wild  animals  into  human  settlements  have  been reported  to  the  Ministry.  However,  no  specific  increasing  trend  in  such movement is collated in the Ministry.
- (b) Wild  animals  occasionally  move  out  of  forest  areas  and  enter  into  human habitations due to various reasons, like- their migratory nature, availability of palatable  food  outside  forest  areas,  scarcity  of  food  and  water  within  the forests, degraded & fragmented habitats, age and territorial fights etc.
- (c) The management of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and other Protected Areas is carried out by the concerned State/Union Territory Forest Department wherein they take adequate steps to develop and augment fodder and water resources for the wild animals. The details regarding comparison of availability of food and water in reserved/protected forests in the country to that in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries is not maintained at the level of MoEF&CC.
- (d) The  Government  has  taken  following  remedial  measures  to  prevent  mananimal conflicts due to food and water scarcity in forest areas:
- (i) Ministry through its Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) namely 'Project Tiger', 'Project Elephant' and 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH)' provides funds to States and UTs for carrying various activities for habitat improvement works namely restoration  of  natural  water  bodies,  creation  of  artificial  ponds, waterholes,  augmenting  food/fodder  sources  at  various  places within Protected Areas to minimize the human animal conflict.
- (ii) Ministry has also formulated a scheme 'Augmentation of Fodder &  Water  Scheme  in  Protected  Areas/Forest  Areas'  under  central component of the fund  managed  by  Compensatory  Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). The scheme is primarily for augmentation of fodder and water sources for  wild herbivores  within  the  Protected  Area/Forests  where degraded habitat  is  known  to  be  the  cause  of  significant  humanwildlife conflict.
- (iii) The  Ministry  has  issued  guidelines  in  context  of  human-wildlife conflict to the Chief Wildlife Wardens of all the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations dated 24 th December, 2014 and 1 st June, 2015.

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