Lok Sabha Question No. 3163 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Man-Animal Conflict
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Andimuthu Raja

## 3163. SHRI A. RAJA:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that man-animal conflict has increased in various States, especially in hilly areas of Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the measures taken to ensure safety for the inhabitants in view of the increasing incidents of forest  elephants  entering  the  residential    area,  paddy  fields  and  destroying  the  standing crops and Cheetah, leopard taking away dogs and pet animals;
- (d) whether any survey has been done about the wild animals, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  details  of  help  and  assistance  provided  to  State  Forest  Department  in  trapping  such animals and send them back to dense forest?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (e) Management of wildlife and human-wildlife conflict is primarily the responsibility  of  State  Governments.  Reports  of  human-animal  conflict  are received from time to time by the Ministry. The number of incidents of humanwildlife conflict varies from State to State.

The Ministry provides financial  and  technical  assistance  to  States  to  prevent and manage human-wildlife conflict. Financial assistance is provided to State Governments  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  'Development  of Wildlife  Habitats,  'Project  Tiger'  and  'Project  Elephant'  for  management  of wildlife  and  human-wildlife  conflict.  The  activities  supported  under  these schemes include construction of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop field. Funds are also provided under the scheme for payment of compensation to victims of human-wildlife conflict.

The Ministry has also issued advisories to all States for better management of situations  arising  out  of  human-wildlife  conflict.  The  advisories  recommend various measures that may be adopted by States to prevent and manage such

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3163

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023

## Man-Animal Conflict

conflicts.  These  include  habitat  improvement  measures,  making  fodder  and water available to animals inside forests, coordinated interdepartmental action, identification of conflict hot spots, adherence to Standard Operating Procedures,  establishment  of  rapid  response  teams,  formation  of  State  and District  level  committees  to  review  the  quantum  of  ex-gratia  relief,  and expedited payments of compensation to affected persons.

Census  of  wild  animals  is  undertaken  periodically  at  the  State  level  by  the State  Governments.  As  per  available  information,  the  estimated  number  of tigers, elephants and Asiatic lions in the country is as follows:

| Name of the species   |   Year of population estimation |   Number |
|-----------------------|---------------------------------|----------|
| Tiger                 |                            2018 |     2967 |
| Elephant              |                            2017 |    29964 |
| Asiatic Lion          |                            2020 |      674 |

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