Lok Sabha Question No. 948 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-08
Subject: Transfer of Asiatic Lions
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 948

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2019

## Transfer of Asiatic Lions

## 948.     SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

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

- (a) whether the Supreme Court had ordered in 2013 that Asiatic Lions from Gir Forests in Gujarat  be  transferred  to  the  Kuno  Sanctuary  in  Madhya  Pradesh,  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  order  has  been  complied  with,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether environmental experts and scientists have recommended that Asiatic Lions in Gir forests be relocated to other sites in Gujarat and other States, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether the  Government proposes to relocate Asiatic  Lions  from  Gir  forests  to  other sites in Gujarat and other States, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) 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 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.
- (b) 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.
- (c) A  collaborative  workshop  held  during  18-21  October,  1993  in  Baroda, Gujarat  identified  the  following  sites  for  Lion  translocation  using  11 parameters:
- i. Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
- ii. Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary
- iii. Darrah-Jawahar sagar Wildlife Sanctuary
- iv. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
- v. Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
- (d) In  compliance of  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 committee has met 6 times and the process of translocation is on. The State Specific Empowered Committees have  also  been  constituted  in  the  State  of  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Gujarat under the  chairmanship  of their  respective  Chief  Wild  Life  Wardens  for overlooking the translocation process. The translocation will be done only after mutual consultations between State specific empowered committees of the two States covering all aspects of translocation including evaluation of  the  habitat  proposed  for  the  translocation,  procedures  and  guidelines required to be followed for translocation and also the safety and security aspects of the translocation.

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