Lok Sabha Question No. 316 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-05
Subject: Compensation for Wild Animals Attacks
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose, Adoor Prakash

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 316 ANSWERED ON 05.02.2024

## Compensation for Wild Animals Attacks

## 316.   ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE: ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that wild animal attacks are escalating in Kerala due to which many people are losing their lives;
- (b) if so, the details of action proposed by the Government to address the concerning issue;
- (c) whether the State Government of Kerala has submitted an action plan to the Government for providing central financial assistance to address the issue of man-animal conflict and if so, the details thereof and the decision taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) the details of measures taken by the Government to provide compensation to the families of victims in wild animals attack;
- (e) the  details  of  people  who  are  injured  or  lost  their  lives  in  attacks  by  wild  animals  and financial assistance provided by the Government during the last five years in the State of Kerala;
- (f) whether the Government proposes to increase the financial contribution to the said State Government so that the compensation in the case of death due to wild animal attacks be increased to fifteen lakhs; and
- (g) 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) and (b) Incidences of wild animal attacks have been reported from various parts of the country including from  the state of Kerala. The  steps taken by Government for protection of wildlife  and  management of  human-wildlife conflict include the following:
- i. A network of Protect Areas namely viz., National Park, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserving covering important  wildlife  habitat  have  been  created  all  over  the  country under  the  provisions  of  the  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972  to conserve wild animals and their habitats.

- ii. 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. The activities supported under the scheme include construction/erection 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 fields;
- iii. 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.
- iv. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also issued  Guidelines  to  States/UTs  on  3 rd June,  2022  on  managing Human  Wildlife  conflict  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.
- v. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides regulatory functions for dealing with human wildlife conflict situations.
5. (c)  to (e) The Ministry has provided financial assistance to Kerala under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Development of Wildlife Habitats for better protection of wildlife and improvement of habitat including for activities to curb human wildlife conflict. The details of funds released to Kerala under this scheme during last five years is as follows:

## (Rs. in lakh)

| Name of the State/UTs   |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |
|-------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Kerala                  |   845.026 |   731.284 |   295.774 |   224.474 |   921.036 |

The  States/Union  Territories  pay  compensation  as  per  their  norms.  The details  of the number of persons who got injured or lost their lives due to attacks  by  wild  animals  and  details  of  compensation  provided  by  State

- (f) and (g) The  Ministry  has  recently,  increased  the  e x-gratia payment  in  case  of Human-Wildlife conflict. The revised rates of relief under e x-gratia are as follows:

| S. No.   | Nature of damage caused by wild animals           | Amount of ex-gratia relief                                            |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (a)      | Death or permanent incapacitation to human beings | ₹ 10 lakh                                                             |
| (b)      | Grievous injury                                   | ₹ 2 lakh                                                              |
| (c)      | Minor injury                                      | Cost of treatment upto Rs 25000/- per                                 |
| (d)      | Loss of property/crops                            | State /UT Government may adhere to the cost norms prescribed by them. |

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