Lok Sabha Question No. 3035 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Research and Development for Conservation
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Maddila  Gurumoorthy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3035

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023

## Research and Development for Conservation

## 3035.   SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

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

- (a) the  details  of  activities  have  been  undertaken  as  part  of  the  Research  and Development Scheme for Conservation and Development;
- (b) the  details  of  funds  allocated  and  utilised  towards  Research  and  Development Scheme for Conservation and Development in last few years;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  activities  under  the  Scheme  in relation to the effects of climate change; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) The  Ministry  supports  and  funds  research  projects  on  identified  thematic  areas  to various  research  Institutions/Universities  etc.  for  Research  and  Development  for Conservation  under  its  Environmental  Research  and  Development  Programme. During the last three years and current financial year, a total of 22 number of research projects  under  different  thematic  area  have  been  sanctioned  by  the  Ministry.  The details are annexed .
- (b) Details of the funds allocated and released during the last three years and during the current financial year, are as follows:

(₹ in Crore)

| Years   |   Allocated Amount | Released Amount         |
|---------|--------------------|-------------------------|
| 2019-20 |                4.5 | 4.49                    |
| 2020-21 |                3   | 2.58                    |
| 2021-22 |                5   | 4.21                    |
| 2022-23 |                2.5 | 1.90 (as on 15.03.2023) |

- (c) and(d)

Under  the  Scheme,  'Climate  Change:  Vulnerability  &  Risk  Assessment, Process,  Mitigation  and  Adaptation'  is  one  of  the  thematic  area,  wherein Ministry is providing financial assistance to the specific research projects. A

total of 03 number of research projects have been sanctioned during the last three years and the details are as follows:

|   S. No. | Year    | Title of the Project                                                                                                      | Organization/ University                                       |
|----------|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | 2020-21 | Microbial communities in changing climatic regime: Analysis of primary and secondary risk factors                         | Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, Delhi.          |
|        2 | 2020-21 | NIR Light reflective Nano composite plastering mortar/coating towards climate change adaptation in buildings              | MepcoSchlenk Engineering College, Sivaski, Tamil Nadu.         |
|        3 | 2021-22 | Understanding the Relationship between Forest and Water in the context of Changing Climate Variables of Narmada Catchment | Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. |

***

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred Question  No.  3035  due  for  reply  on  20.03.2023  regarding  'Research  and Development for Conservation'.

| Year    |   S.No. | Thematic Area                                                                                                          | Title of the Project                                                                                                                                                       | Organization                           |
|---------|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| 2019-20 |       1 | Conservation and Management of Landscapes and Ecologically sensitive areas including issues of sustainable livelihoods | Ecology and Recovery of critically endangered Vulture species in Pong Dam Protected Area (PA) and its Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) in Himachal Pradesh.                        | Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun  |
| 2019-20 |       2 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                  | An integrated approach for conservation of Takin ( Budorcastaxicolor ) in North East India: Linking species ecology and traditional ecological knowle dge.                 | Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun  |
| 2019-20 |       3 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                  | Assessing fine scale distribution pattern, population and habitat status of northern Swamp Deer ( Rucervusduvauceli ) across upper Gangetic Plains of north India.         | Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun  |
| 2019-20 |       4 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                  | Securing habitats for threatened mountain ungulates through robust population assessment and conservation planning.                                                        | Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun  |
| 2019-20 |       5 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                  | Assessment of Disease Prevalence in Ungulates in Protected Areas of North East India.                                                                                      | Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun  |
| 2019-20 |       6 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                  | Quantification of the Economic and Ecological Services of Eco-tourism as a Livelihood Option for the Sustainability of the Rhino Population in Manas Tiger Reserve, Assam. | Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat |

|   7. | Pollution Prevention - Clean Technologies and Processes, Cleaner Production, 3Rs, Resource Efficiency, Waste Minimisation and Management, etc.   | Design, Development and Evaluation of Indigenous Sensors Based Air Quality Monitoring System and Data Analysis Using Deep Learning.                                                                                                              | St. Peters Institute of Higher Education and Research   |
|------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
|    8 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                                            | Population Status, Ecology and Conservation of the Indian Swiftlet ( Aerodramus unicolor ) West Coast and Offshore Islands in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.                                                                                  | Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History    |
|    9 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                                            | Ecological assessment of endemic and threatened Laughing thrushes of the Western Ghats to develop conservation plan for securing their population and habitats.                                                                                  | Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History    |
|   10 | Pollution Prevention - Clean Technologies and Processes, Cleaner Production, 3Rs, Resource Efficiency, Waste Minimisation and Management, etc.   | Sustainable utilisation of Industrial waste materials for the development of cementlessferrocement precast panels for Impact load.                                                                                                               | MepcoSchlenk Engineering College, Chennai               |
|   11 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                                            | Emerging infectious disease in birds across a gradient of alien invasive trees mapped using Remote Sensing on Shola Sky Islands.                                                                                                                 | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research      |
|   12 | Socio-economic issues of environment and Sustainable Development                                                                                 | Assessment of Landfill Gas Recovery and Utilization and Reduction of GHG Emission at the Madurai landfill, Tamil Nadu, India.                                                                                                                    | Thiagarajara College of Engineering, Madurai            |
|   13 | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                                            | Tracking and assessment threats of highly critically endangered scaly giant Chinese Pangolin ( Manispentadactyla ) with special reference to sensitization of local communities for its long-term conservation in north-eastern states of India. | Amity University                                        |

|         |   14. | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface                           | Assessment of Changes for the Conservation and Management of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.                                                                                                                                                                     | Pondicherry University                                                    |
|---------|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |    15 | Socio-economic issues of environment and Sustainable Development                                                                | Development of low energy- low carbon ECO cementitious binders via synergistic use of low graded industrial wastes for sustainable development.                                                                                                                | CSIR- Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee                        |
|         |    16 | Socio-economic issues of environment and Sustainable Development                                                                | Development of performance improved precast lightweight composite materials using solid waste.                                                                                                                                                                 | CSIR Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee                         |
| 2020-21 |    17 | Climate Change: Vulnerability & Risk Assessment, Process, Mitigation and Adaptation                                             | Microbial communities in changing climatic regime: Analysis of primary and secondary risk factors.                                                                                                                                                             | Sri Venkateswara College                                                  |
| 2020-21 |    18 | Climate Change: Vulnerability & Risk Assessment, Process, Mitigation and Adaptation                                             | NIR Light reflective Nano composite plastering mortar/coating towards climate change adaptation in buildings.                                                                                                                                                  | MepcoSchlenlk Engineering College                                         |
| 2021-22 |    19 | Sustainable Management of Natural Resources                                                                                     | Habitat distribution modelling and reinforcement of two threatened trees in the Kerala region of the Western Ghats for the improvement of their conservation status.                                                                                           | Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, Trivendrum |
| 2021-22 |    20 | Ecosystems Conservation & Management (Mountain, Forest, Coastal, Wetlands, Pastoral, etc.) and Evaluation of Ecosystem Services | Exploration And Conservation Of Edible And Medicinal Mushroom Diversity And Documentation Of Ethno Mycological Knowledge From Forests Of Coimbatore District Of Western Ghats For Restoration Of Nutritional Security Through Recycling Of Agro Forest Wastes. | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore                            |
| 2021-22 |    21 | Climate Change: Vulnerability & Risk Assessment, Process, Mitigation and Adaptation                                             | Understanding The Relations hip Between Forest And Water In The Context Of Changing Climate Variables of Narmada Catchment.                                                                                                                                    | Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal                             |

| 22.   | Biodiversity Conservation including Issues of Alien and invasive species and Human-wildlife Interface   | An exploration of the mangroves of the Eco- Sensitive Zone of Bhadrak wildlife division (Odisha) for their fungal endophyte diversity.   | Vivekananda Institute of Tropical Mycology   |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|