Lok Sabha Question No. 2626 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-01
Subject: Kaziranga National Park
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SUSHMITA DEV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2626 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2017

## Kaziranga National Park

## 2626.  KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV:

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

- (a) the number of armed forces deployed in Kaziranga National Park for the protection of wildlife against poachers;
- (b) the number of suspected poachers who have been shot during the last three years;
- (c) the details of the orders or immunity given to the guards who shot suspected poachers; and
- (d) the details of the alternative methods being explored by the Government to reduce instances of poaching?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  number  of  armed  forces  deployed  in  Kaziranga  National  Park  for  the  protection  of wildlife, as reported by State, is as under:-
- (b) The number of suspected poachers shot during the last three years, as reported by State, is as under:-
- (c) All  forest  officers  including  Game  Watchers,  Forest  Guards,  Foresters,  Forest  Rangers, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Deputy Conservators of Forests, Divisional Forest Officers, Conservator of Forests, Chief Conservator of Forests, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Members and Supervisory Officers of Assam Forest Protection Force in the State of Assam and  who  are  charged  with  maintenance  of  public  order  relating  to  forest  and  wildlife protection, conservation and management have been conferred immunity as per provisions, as envisaged in sub-section (2) of Section 197 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, to the extent that wherever firing is resorted to by such personnel, each such incident shall be enquired into

| Armed Force                   |   Number |
|-------------------------------|----------|
| Forest staff                  |      374 |
| Assam Forest Protection Force |      387 |
| Home Guard                    |      114 |
| Total                         |      875 |

| Year                   |   No. of Poachers |
|------------------------|-------------------|
| 2014                   |                22 |
| 2015                   |                23 |
| 2016                   |                05 |
| 2017 (as on 26.7.2017) |                01 |

by  an  Executive  Magistrate  of  the  locality,  and  any  proceeding  including  institution  of  a criminal case of any nature or effecting an arrest can be initiated by the Police, only if, it is held,  as  a  result  of  the  Magisterial  Enquiry  that  use  of  firearms  has  been  unnecessary, unwarranted  and  excessive  and  such  report  has  been  examined  and  accepted  by  the Government.

- (d) Use of modern surveillance techniques like electronic eye and drones, active involvement of local  communities  for  intelligence  gathering,  co-ordination  with  other  enforcement  agencies viz. Police Department and intensive patrolling in the park as well as the areas surrounding the park, inter alia , are some of other measures taken to address poaching.

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