Lok Sabha Question No. 4292 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Smuggling of Pangolin Scales
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, KAMAL NATH

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4292

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2017

## Smuggling of Pangolin Scales

## 4292.    SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA: SHRI KAMAL NATH

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that illegal trade in Pangolin Scales have increased in the last few years and is threatening the existence of the endangered mammals in the country particularly in Madhya Pradesh;
- (b) Whether the special Task Force of Madhya Pradesh has recently busted the network of smugglers of the Pangolin Scales;
- (c) if so, the details of the persons/ poachers arrested in this connection; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to check smuggling of Pangolin Scales particularly from Madhya Pradesh?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) As  informed  by  the  State  Government  of  Madhya  Pradesh,  poaching  had increased  in  last  few  years  but  is  under  control  now  after  actions  taken  by Special Task Force (STF) against poachers and traders.
- (b) & (c) The  Special  Task  Force  of  Madhya  Pradesh  has  taken  steps  to  arrest  126 number of accused in connection with poaching and illegal trade in scales of Pangolins  from  10  states  in  coordination  with  the  Wild  Life  Crime  Control Bureau (WCCB) and enforcement agencies of other states. The details are as under -

|   S. No. | Name of Division/ Tiger Reserve from where person arrested   | Date on crime filed   |   No. of Person Arrested |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
|        1 | Gwalior Forest Division                                      | 03.12.2015            |                       15 |
|        2 | West Chhindwara Division                                     | 30.04.2015            |                       17 |
|        3 | Balaghaat Division                                           | 20.09.2014            |                       23 |
|        4 | Pench Tiger Reserve                                          | 20.05.2015            |                       15 |

| 5.    | Satpura Tiger Reserve   | 13.07.2015   |   29 |
|-------|-------------------------|--------------|------|
| 6.    | Gwalior Forest Division | 24.05.2016   |    5 |
| 7.    | Pench Tiger Reserve     | 27.06.2016   |    3 |
| 8.    | Katni Forest Division   | 21.02.2016   |   14 |
| 9.    | Rajgarh Forest Division | 17.01.2011   |    5 |
| Total | Total                   | Total        |  126 |

(d) The steps taken by the Government through the WCCB to check smuggling of Pangolin  Scales  from  within  the  country ,  inter  alia ,  include  all  species  of Pangolins  being  brought  under  Appendix  I  of  CITES,  sensitization  of  border guarding forces, customs and Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) officials at  exit  points  issuing  alerts  and  advisories  on  poaching  and  illegal  trade  of wildlife to the  concerned State and Central agencies and joint operations with State enforcement agencies to apprehend criminals involved in smuggling.

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