Lok Sabha Question No. 1858 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Human-animal Conflicts
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: P. C. Mohan, Navneet Ravi Rana, Andimuthu Raja, Nalin Kumar Kateel, Sandhya Ray, Krishna Pal Singh Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1858

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2021

## Human-animal Conflicts

1858.   SHRI P.C. MOHAN:

SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA:

SHRI A. RAJA:

SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

SHRIMATI SANDHYA RAY:

DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV:

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

- (a) whether  the  cases  of  human-animal  conflicts  particularly  human-elephant  conflicts have increased in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any study to understand the causes of such conflicts and damage done to standing crops, farmers and environment;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the total number of death of humans and elephants/animals reported during the last three years and the current year indicating the provision for compensation for such losses;
- (d) the number of incidents of leopards entering human habitation reported during the said period  along with the steps taken to minimize leopard-human conflicts in urban areas; and
- (e) whether the Government has issued any guidelines for the execution of development projects near wildlife habitat and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to mange human-wildlife  conflicts  in  a  holistic  manner  and  co-create  the  mitigation  solutions with full engagement of all stakeholders?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a), (b) and (c) The  management  of  forest  and  wildlife  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of concerned States/UTs. Incidences of human-animal conflicts have been reported to the Ministry. However, such reports do not indicate an increasing trend in the cases of human-animal conflicts in the country.

Assessments  of  human-wildlife  conflicts  indicate  that  the  main  causes  of human-wildlife  conflicts  include  habitat  loss,  growth  of  population  of  wild animals,  changing  cropping  patterns  that  attract  wild  animals  to  farmlands, movement of wild animals from forests area to human dominated landscapes for food and fodder, movement of human beings to forests for illegal collection of forest produce, habitat degradation due to growth of invasive alien species, etc. Wild animals like elephants being long ranging animals sometimes move to human habitations and farmlands also and cause destruction to standing crops, houses  and  injuring/  death  of  human  being.  As  per  available  reports  in  the Ministry,  nearly  500  human  deaths  are  reported  in  a  year  due  to  elephant attacks  while  nearly  100  human  deaths  are  reported  in  a  year  due  to  Tiger attacks. Further, nearly 100 elephants die every year due to unnatural causes.

The  Ministry,  in  the  year  2018,  has  increased ex-gratia relief  under  the Centrally Sponsored Scheme in case of depredation by wild animals, which is as follows:

| S.No   | Nature of damage caused by wild animals   | Amount of ex-gratia relief                                           |
|--------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| i.     | Death or permanent incapacitation         | Rs.5.00 lakhs                                                        |
| ii.    | Grievous injury                           | Rs.2.00 lakhs                                                        |
| iii.   | Minor injury                              | Cost of treatment up to Rs.25,000/- per person                       |
| iv.    | Loss of property/crops                    | State/UT Government may adhere to the cost norms prescribed by them. |

Further, under the revised guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, States have been given option to consider providing add-on coverage for crop loss due to attack by wild animals.

- (d) and (e) Incidences  of  animal-leopard  conflicts are not collated  by  the Ministry. Detailed  Guidelines  have  been  reiterated  in  the  Ministry's  letters  F.No.  2243/2018-IA.III dated  8.8.2019  and F.No. 6-60/2020 WL  Part  (1) dated 16.07.2020  regarding  requirement  of  certain  developmental  projects  falling within Eco-sensitive Zones to be considered by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life.

The important steps taken by the Government to address human-animal conflict including human-leopard conflicts, are as follows:

- i. The  Ministry  has  issued  an  Advisory  to  deal  with  human  wildlife conflict to  States/UTs  on  06.02.2021  which  also  provides  for suitable portion of ex-gratia relief to be paid within 24 hours to the affected persons in the case of death and injury to persons.
- ii. The Ministry provides financial assistance to States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of 'Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project Tiger' and 'Project Elephant' for management of wildlife and its habitats in the country. The  broad activities supported  under  these  schemes include  habitat  enrichment,  water augmentation.
- iii. Notification of the critical elephant habitats as 'Elephant Reserves' for  better  management  of  wild  elephants.   So  far  30  Elephant Reserves have been established in 14 main elephant States.
- iv. Ministry  has  requested  all  States/UTs  that  linear  infrastructure project proposals for consideration of the Standing Committee of the National  Board  should  be  accompanied  by  animal  passage  plan prepared as per the guidance document, 'Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure'.
- v. Extensive  patrolling  of  human-elephant  conflict  prone  areas  by frontline  field  staff  of  the  State  Forest  Departments  is  done  to minimize losses.
- vi. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for stringent punishment for violation of its provisions. The Act also provides for forfeiture  of  any  equipment,  vehicle  or  weapon  that  is  used  for committing wildlife offence(s).
- vii. Periodic  awareness  campaigns  to  sensitize,  guide  and  advise  the general  public  on  man-animal  conflict,  including  dissemination  of information through various forms of media.