Lok Sabha Question No. 2856 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-21
Subject: Death of Wild Animals by Electrocution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Kotagiri Sridhar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2856

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2022

## Death of Wild Animals by Electrocution

## 2856. SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

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

- (a) whether the Government takes cognizance of the serious issue of death of wild animals by deliberate  electrocution using uninsulated wire traps by poachers;
- (b) if so, the steps that has been taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (c) whether there  have  been  any  efforts  to  decrease  chances  of  accidental  electrocution  of wild animals and if so, details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Protection  and  management  of  wildlife  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  State Governments/  UTs  Administration.  As  per  information  available  with  the  Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), the number of cases of death of wild animals due to electrocutions and the accused arrested during last three years are as under:
- (b) & (c) The steps taken by the Government to manage human-animal conflict and decrease the chances of accidental electrocution of wild animals, include the following:
- i. Financial  assistance  is  provided  by  the  Ministry  to  States/Union  Territories under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Development of Wildlife Habitats, Project Tiger and Project Elephant for activities like creation and maintenance of  water  holes  for  wild  animals in  Protected  Areas,  soil  and  moisture
- conservation  measures,  establishment  of  anti-poaching  camps,  strengthening wildlife veterinary care, eradication of weeds, creation and maintenance of fire lines, deployment of Tiger Protection Force and special Tiger Protection Force etc.
- ii. The  Compensatory  Afforestation Fund  Act, 2016 and the  Rules  made thereunder  also  provide  for  use  of  the  Fund  for  development  of  wildlife habitats, establishment of animal rescue centers, etc.
- iii. 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 guidelines on eco-friendly measures to mitigate the impacts of linear infrastructure to assist project agencies in designing linear infrastructure, including electric transmission lines.
- iv. User  agencies  have  been  requested  to  comply  with  electricity  rules  and regulations and to maintain minimum ground clearance for electric transmission lines in order to minimize deaths of elephants due to electrocution.
- v. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has issued generic guidelines for formulating a Security Plan for each tiger reserve which is operationalized in the  overarching  Tiger  Conservation  Plan  which  is  legally  mandated  under section 38 V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- vi. WCCB has issued advisories to States/UTs to prevent deaths of wild animals due to electrocution.

|   Year |   Number of cases |   No. of Accused arrested |
|--------|-------------------|---------------------------|
|   2019 |                22 |                        61 |
|   2020 |                10 |                         8 |
|   2021 |                16 |                        30 |

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