Lok Sabha Question No. 3322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Forest Fires
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Tirath Singh Rawat

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3322

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.07.2019

## Forest Fires

## 3322.  SHRI TIRATH SINGH RAWAT:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formulated/proposes  to  formulate  any  permanent  policy  to check forest fire in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand so as to safeguard the damage caused to forest resources, wildlife and environment, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  wild  animals  like  pigs,  monkeys,  bears  etc.  are damaging  the  horticulture  and  agricultural  products  in  the  hilly  districts  of  Uttarakhand forcing small farmers to quit agricultural work and migrate from the region and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  formulating  any  policy/action  plan  in  the  interest  of  the marginal/small farmers of the hilly regions; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) The Ministry has formulated a National Action Plan on Forest Fire based on the recommendations  of  a  study  on  Situation  Analysis  of  Forest  Fire  in India conducted by the Ministry in collaboration with the  World Bank  and in consultation with all the State Forest Departments including Uttarakhand and other stakeholders.  The  objective  of this  plan  is  to  minimize  forest  fires  by  informing, enabling  and  empowering  Forest  Fringe  communities  and  incentivizing  them  to work  in  tandem  with  the  Forest  Departments.  This  will  substantially  reduce  the vulnerability of forests across the diverse forest ecosystems in the country against fire hazards, enhance the capabilities of forest personnel and institutions in fighting fires, and speed up recovery after a fire event.

Since forests  are  managed by the State Forest Departments, the responsibility of forest  fire  prevention  and  management  lies  primarily  with  the  respective  State Governments. Ministry supports the efforts of State/Union Territory Governments

OIH

in prevention and control of forest fire by providing financial assistance for various forest  fire  prevention  and  management  measures  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme. A sum of  Rs.125 Crore (Rupees one hundred twenty-five Crore) has been released to States in last three years under this scheme.

- (b) Incidences of damage to horticulture and agriculture products by wild animals in the hilly district of Uttarakhand have been reported from time to time. Details of crop damages due to wild animals in Uttarakhand in the last three years is given below : -

|   S.N | Year (As reported by Uttarakhand Forest Department)   |   Crop damage (in ha) |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|     1 | 2016-17                                               |               486.348 |
|     2 | 2017-18                                               |               270.764 |
|     3 | 2018-19                                               |               242.578 |
|     4 | 2019-20 till May 2019                                 |                29.079 |

According  to  the  State  Forest  Department  Uttarakhand,  information  regarding migration  of  small  farmers  due  to  man-animal  conflict  is  not  available  with  the State Forest Department.

- (c)&(d) The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change is not formulating any such policy/action plan. However, the State Forest Department of Uttarakhand has formulated  Man-Animal  Conflict  Rules  compensation  distribution  rules  which contain provisions for payment of compensation in case of loss of life and property and damage to crops caused by wild animals.