Lok Sabha Question No. 1222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-28
Subject: Trafficking and Killing of Snakes and Wild Animals
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sushil Kumar Singh

- (b)

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1222

TO BE ANSWERED ON  28.06.2019

## Trafficking and Killing of Snakes and Wild Animals

## 1222. SHRI  SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH :

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

- (a) whether  the  cases  of    trafficking  and  killing  of  snakes  and  other    wild  animals  have come to the notice of the Government and if so, the  details thereof:
- (b) whether  his Ministry is aware of a rescue of a rare two  headed snake from a house at Majra Paltanpurwa in Shawasti district (Bhinga Kotwali) of Uttar Pradesh by the  forest department  including  details  of the accused;
- (c) if so, whether such  snakes cost crores in the international market and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether provision of penalty and punishment for such trafficking is not  commensurate to the nature of crime;
- (e) if so, whether the Government has collected State-wise and Union territory-wise details of such  cases of smuggling along with persons accused  and acquitted in this  regard during the last three years; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) As per the information received from the State authorities, the number of cases of trafficking  and  killing  of  snakes  and  other  wild  animals  during    the  last  three years and current year are as under:

|   Years |   Number of Trafficking and Killing Snake Cases |   Number of Other Wild Animal cases |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|    2016 |                                              30 |                                 535 |
|    2017 |                                              35 |                                 307 |
|    2018 |                                              22 |                                 185 |
|    2019 |                                               3 |                                  61 |

One common Boa snake was rescued by Forest Department of Uttar Pradesh from the  house  of  Noor  Mohammad  S/o  Saboor  resident  of  Mauja  Paltanpurwa Kotwali-Bhinga and Sohrab S/o Noor Mohammad resident of Mauja Paltanpurwa Kotwali-Bhinga in a routine raid and search operation on 5.6.2019 in Shrawasti District.  The  rescued  Boa  snake  was  released  in  the  natural  habitat  of  Bhinga

Reserve  Forest.  A  Forest  offence  Range  Case  No.9/2019-20  was  registered against  the  accused  under  the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act  1972.  The  case  was compounded  after  realizing  compensation  of  Rs.110000/-  (Rs.  one  lakh  Ten Thousand) from the accused.

- (c) The trading  of  wild  animals  is  prohibited  under  the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act 1972 so the assessment of cost of Boa snake or other wild animals is not possible.
- (d), (e) and (f) The provisions of penalty and punishment provided in Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 are stringent and commensurate to the nature of crime.

As per the information received from the State Forest Department, the Year-wise & State-wise details of cases of Snakes smuggling along with person accused in the last three years & current years placed at Annexure. However data regarding persons acquitted is not collated in the Ministy.

***

## Annexure

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (d),(e)AND (f) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1222 REGARDING 'TRAFFICKING AND KILLING OF SNAKES AND WILD ANIMALS' BY SHRI  SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH DUE FOR REPLY ON 28.6.2019.

| WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   | WILDLIFE CRIME CASES OFSNAKES REPORTED AND NUMBER OFPERSONS ARRESTEDAS REPORTED BYSTATEAGENCIES   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                            | STATES                                                                                            | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              | Year                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   | 2016                                                                                              | 2016                                                                                              | 2017                                                                                              | 2017                                                                                              | 2018                                                                                              | 2018                                                                                              | 2019                                                                                              | 2019                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   | Crime cases                                                                                       | Persons arrested                                                                                  | Crime cases                                                                                       | Persons arrested                                                                                  | Crime cases                                                                                       | Persons arrested                                                                                  | Crime cases                                                                                       | Persons arrested                                                                                  |
| 1.                                                                                                | A&NIslands                                                                                        | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 2.                                                                                                | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                    | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 3.                                                                                                | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 4.                                                                                                | Assam                                                                                             | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 5.                                                                                                | Bihar                                                                                             | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 7                                                                                                 | 8                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 6.                                                                                                | Chandigarh                                                                                        | 2                                                                                                 | 3                                                                                                 | 2                                                                                                 | 3                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 7.                                                                                                | Chattisgarh                                                                                       | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 8.                                                                                                | Dadra & Nagar Haveli                                                                              | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 9.                                                                                                | Daman &Diu                                                                                        | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 10.                                                                                               | Delhi                                                                                             | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 11.                                                                                               | Goa                                                                                               | NA                                                                                                |                                                                                                   | NA                                                                                                |                                                                                                   | NA                                                                                                |                                                                                                   | NA                                                                                                |                                                                                                   |
| 12.                                                                                               | Gujarati                                                                                          | 2                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 13.                                                                                               | Haryana                                                                                           | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 14.                                                                                               | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                  | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | 2                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 15                                                                                                | Jammu& Kashmir                                                                                    | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 16.                                                                                               | Jharkhand                                                                                         | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 17.                                                                                               | Karnataka                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                 | 3                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | 2                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | 5                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 18.                                                                                               | Kerala                                                                                            | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 5                                                                                                 | 5                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 19.                                                                                               | Lakshadweep                                                                                       | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 20.                                                                                               | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                    | 2                                                                                                 | 6                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | 5                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 21.                                                                                               | Maharashtra                                                                                       | 4                                                                                                 | 10                                                                                                | 5                                                                                                 | 6                                                                                                 | 4                                                                                                 | 13                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 22.                                                                                               | Manipur                                                                                           | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 23.                                                                                               | Meghalaya                                                                                         | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 24.                                                                                               | Mizoram                                                                                           | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 25.                                                                                               | Nagaland                                                                                          | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 26.                                                                                               | Odisha                                                                                            | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 27.                                                                                               | Puducherry                                                                                        | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 28.                                                                                               | Punjab                                                                                            | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1                                                                                                 |                                                                                                   | 5                                                                                                 | 5                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 29.                                                                                               | Rajasthan                                                                                         | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | 1 NA                                                                                              | 1                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                 | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |
| 30.                                                                                               | SIkkim                                                                                            | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                | NA                                                                                                |

|   31. | Tamil Nadu    | 2   | 6   | NA   | NA   | NA   | NA   | 1   | 1   |
|-------|---------------|-----|-----|------|------|------|------|-----|-----|
|    32 | Telangana     | NA  | NA  | 1    | NA   | NA   | NA   | NA  | NA  |
|    33 | Tripura       | 1   | NA  | NA   | NA   | NA   | NA   | NA  | NA  |
|    34 | Uttar Pradesh | 8   | 9   | 3    | 6    | 5    | 9    | 2   | 10  |
|    35 | Uttarakhand   | NA  | NA  | 1    | 1    | 2    | 3    | NA  | NA  |
|    36 | West Bengal   | 8   | 15  | 4    | 10   | NA   | NA   | NA  | NA  |