Lok Sabha Question No. 1040 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Human-Elephant Conflicts
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1040

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2020

## Human-Elephant Conflicts

## 1040.  SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

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

- (a) the  details  of  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  or  reduce  the  incidence  of human-elephant conflicts in the country in the past three years;
- (b) the  details  of  such  identified  elephant  corridors  in  Jharkhand  along  with  steps  taken  to preserve and promote the same;
- (c) whether there are special schemes for advanced healthcare of elephants for the treatment of trauma and diseases; 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  Government  has  taken  following  measures  to  reduce  Human  Elephant  Conflicts (HEC) in the country:
- (i) Financial  and  technical  assistance  is  provided  to  elephant  range  states  under  the Centrally Sponsored scheme 'Project Elephant', to protect elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of man-elephant conflict and the welfare of captive elephants.  The Scheme has also a component for ex-gratia relief in case of human death/injury and property/crop loss.
- (ii) Notification of critical elephant habitats as 'Elephant Reserves' for better management of wild elephants.
- (iii) All the elephant States have been directed to implement Guidelines for Management of Human Elephant Conflict issued by the Ministry on 6.10.2017.
- (iv) Various  other  Centrally  Sponsored  schemes  being  implemented  by  this  Ministry contribute  to  the  improvement  in  the  natural  habitat  of  elephants  by  augmenting water sources, planting of fodder trees, regeneration of bamboo etc.  Such schemes include  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitat  and  Project  Tiger.    The  Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016 and the Rules made there under also provide for use of

the Fund for development of wildlife habitats, including for elephants, establishment of animal  rescue centres, etc. which also contribute to  reduction in HEC.

- (v) Wildlife Institute of India in consultation with the Ministry of Environment Forest &  Climate  Change,  National  Highway  Authority,  National  Tiger  Conservation Authority and World Bank Group has published a document namely ' Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure' to assist project agencies in designing linear infrastructure in a manner that reduces human-animal conflicts.
- (b) No elephant corridor has so far been identified by the State of Jharkhand, however the Elephant  Task  Force  Report,  2010  titled  'Gajah'  has  identified  27  priority  I  and  61 priority II, regional landscape based elephant corridors in the country.
- (c)&(d) Welfare of captive  elephant  is one  of  the  major  objectives  of  the  Centrally  Sponsored scheme 'Project Elephant' wherein financial and technical assistance is provided to the States.    The  Ministry  vide  letter  dated  8.1.2008  has  issued  guidelines  to  all  States  on 'Care and Management of Captive Elephants'. The Ministry has also constituted Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (CEHWC) on 22.08.2019 to look into the issues related to healthcare, welfare and management of captive elephants in the country. Further establishment, operation and maintenance of animal rescue centre and veterinary treatment  facilities  for  wild  animals  are  permissible  activities  under  the  Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018.

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