Lok Sabha Question No. 952 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Animals affected by Floods
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. Shanmuga Sundaram

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 952

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2020

## Animals affected by Floods

## 952. SHRI SHANMUGA SUNDARAM K.:

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

- (a). whether  the  Ministry  has  received  any  report  regarding  the  2015  floods  in parts of Amreli Bhav Nagar area in Madhya Pradesh which resulted in wiping out of blue bulls, deers and Asiatic lions;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the animals which had been wiped out as a result of the flood;
- (c) whether the State Government has requested for transfer of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to its Palpur Kuno Sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh;
- (d) if so, the steps taken by the Ministry for expediting the transfer of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh; and
- (e) whether the Palpur Kuno Sanctuary is located apart from the human settlement and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) and (b) As  per  the  information  received  from  the  State  Forest  Department  of Gujarat,  species wise details of wild animals died during the 2015 flash floods in  Amreli and Bhavnagar Districts of Gujarat are as follows:
- (c) The  State Government  of  Madhya  Pradesh  has  requested  for  the translocation of Asiatic Lion from Gujarat to Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
- (d) The  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  in  I.A.  No.  100  in  Writ  Petition  (Civil) No.337/1995 in Centre for Environment Law, WWF-I vs Union of India & Others had vide their order dated 15 th April 2013 directed the Ministry

|   S. No. | Name of Species   |   No. of animals died during 2015 floods |
|----------|-------------------|------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Blue bulls        |                                     1670 |
|        2 | Deers             |                                       87 |
|        3 | Asiatic Lions     |                                       10 |

of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to take urgent steps for reintroduction of Asiatic lion from Gir forests to Kuno in accordance with the  guidelines  issued  by  IUCN.  Hon'ble  Court  vide  the  said  order  had also  directed  the  Ministry  to  constitute  an  Expert  Committee  for  this purpose.

In compliance to the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has constituted an Expert Committee  under  the Chairmanship  of Additional Director General  of  Forests  (Wildlife),  MoEF&CC.  The  Expert  Committee  had convened six meetings so far.

- (e) The State Forest Department of Madhya Pradesh has informed that all 24 villages have been relocated from the Wildlife Sanctuary. The status of Wildlife Sanctuary has also been upgraded  to National Park adding an additional area of 404.0758 sq.km. That makes the area of Kuno National Park as 748.7618 sq.km.

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