Lok Sabha Question No. 4155 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Study on Human-Animal Conflict
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Manne Srinivas Reddy, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4155

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## Study on Human-Animal Conflict

## 4155.   SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRI KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY:

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

- (a) whether the  Government has conducted any study to understand the causes  of humanelephant conflict in West Bengal and Odisha, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has collected data on the deaths of humans and elephants as a result of such conflict in West Bengal and Odisha and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  details  of  the  measures  aimed  at  mitigation  and  management  of  human-elephant conflict in West Bengal and Odisha?
- (d) whether  the  wildlife  population  is  increasing  due  to  protection  measures  and  the  area under forest cover should also have been expanded by creating buffer zones as such areas could  have  acted  as  sinks  to  absorb  the  rise  in  animal  population  and  provided connectivity for animal migration;
- (e) whether the forests have either shrunk or been disturbed with the Government clearing infrastructure  projects  by  diverting  forest  land  for  non-forestry  purposes  and  for  other purposes also to protect environment;
- (f) if so, the details thereof, State-wise along with reasons therefor; and
- (g) the corrective steps being taken till date, State-wise and funds sanctioned/spent to protect and provide suitable environment to wildlife?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) The Ministry has not conducted any study to understand the human-elephant conflict in the State of Odisha and West Bengal.
- (b) As per the information received from the State of Odisha and West Bengal, the details of human casualties due to wild elephant attack and elephant casualties, are as follows:
- (c) The  management  of  wildlife  including  mitigation  and  management  of  human-elephant conflict (HEC) is primarily the responsibility of State Governments/UTs Administration. The state forest departments are working with the local people to address the HEC issues through periodic awareness campaigns to sensitize, guide and advise the general public on man-animal conflict, including dissemination of information through various forms of media.    Further,  Forest  Departments  are  engaging  with  local  communities  as  animal trackers to monitor the movement of elephants and also to caution local people to avoid human-animal conflict, prevent damage or loss of human life and elephants.

| Year    | Human casualties due to elephant attack   | Human casualties due to elephant attack   | Elephant Casualties   | Elephant Casualties   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|         | Odisha                                    | West Bengal                               | Odisha                | West Bengal           |
| 2020-21 | 139                                       | 117                                       | 14                    | 11                    |
| 2021-22 | 112                                       | 77                                        | 18                    | 6                     |

In  addition,  the  following  measures  taken  by  Ministry  also  help  in  mitigation  of human-animal conflict:-

- (i) The  Central  Government  provides  financial  assistance  to  State/Union  Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats, 'Project Tiger' and 'Project Elephant' for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country.
- (ii) To  reduce  man-elephant  conflict  and  to  avoid  retaliatory  killing  of  elephants. Compensation is provided to local communities for loss of their property and life caused  by  wild  elephants.  The  Ministry  has  notified  enhancement  of  ex-gratia rates related to wildlife depredation vide letter No. 14-2/2011 WL-I (part) dated 9th February, 2018.
- (iii) 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.
- (iv) A guideline for Management of Human Elephant Conflict has been issued by the Ministry  on  6.10.2017  and  elephant  range  states have  been  requested  for implementation of the same.
- (v) An  advisory  on  dealing  with  human-wildlife  conflict  has  been  issued  by  the Ministry in February 2021. The advisory recommends 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, issuing  guidance/instructions for expedited payments, and provision of adequate funds  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.
- (vi) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also issued Guidelines to  States/UTs on  3 rd June,  2022 on  managing  Human  Wildlife conflicts including damage to crops. It includes promotion of crops in forest fringe areas which are unpalatable to wild animals, agro forestry models which include cash  crops  like chillies,  lemon  grass,  khus  grass  etc.  suitably  mixed  with tree/shrub species. It also includes preparation and implementation of comprehensive long-term plan for alternate cropping by the state Agriculture/Horticulture Department under different schemes in vulnerable areas.
- (vii) Critical elephant habitats are notified as 'Elephant Reserve' for focus and synergy in  elephant  conservation  and  to  reduce  conflict.  The  notification  is  carried  out with  the  approval  of  Steering  Committee  formed  in  the  Ministry.    So  far  33 Elephant Reserves have been established in 14 major elephant States.
- (viii) A  field  manual  for  frontline  staff  to  manage  Human  Elephant  Conflict  was released during the 16 th meeting of the Steering Committee on 29 th April, 2022.
- (ix) The  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972  provides  regulatory  functions  for  dealing with human wildlife conflict situations.
- (x) A  Capacity  Building  Workshop  for  Railway  Officials  Training  the  Trainers:  A special online training programme for sensitizing officials of the Indian Railways' Training Institutes towards India's wildlife and rich biodiversity was conducted on 19 th September, 2022.
- (xi) Regional coordination meeting for the Eastern Region to address Human-Elephant Conflict was conducted on 19 th January, 2023 at Kolkata.
- (xii) A  Capacity  Building  Workshop  on  'Minimizing  Railway-induced  Elephant Mortalities  for  the  Officers  of  the  Indian  Railways'  was  conducted  on  1 st -3 rd February, 2023.
- (d)to(g)  As per the  information  received from the States, adequate measures are being taken to protect forest and wildlife. Various Centrally Sponsored Schemes being implemented by this  Ministry  contributing  to  the  improvement  in  the  natural  habitat  of  elephants  by augmenting water sources, planting of fodder trees, regeneration of bamboo etc.  Such schemes  also  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, connectivity and corridors for animal migrations. As per the information received from the State of Odisha and West Bengal, a total of Rs. 4776.58 lakhs and Rs.788.42 lakhs have been allocated respectively, during the current financial year 2022-23, under various Centrally Sponsored Scheme, for the protection and to provide suitable environment to wildlife.