Lok Sabha Question No. 3508 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Status of Project Elephant
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara, Shri Mahendra Singh Solanky, Shri Naba Charan Majhi, Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Shri Khagen Murmu, Smt. Roopkumari Choudhary, Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta, Shri Manoj Tiwari

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3508

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025

## Status of Project Elephant

3508.   SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SHRI MAHENDRA SINGH SOLANKY:

DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

SHRI BASAVARAJ BOMMAI:

SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

SMT. ROOPKUMARI CHOUDHARY:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

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

- (a) the  current  status  of  Project  Elephant  along  with  the  steps  taken  to  address  humanelephant  conflict  under  this  Project  and  the  outcome  achieved,  State-wise  including Chhattisgarh and Dakshina Kannada district;
- (b) whether  there  have  been  any  coordinated  efforts  with  other  ministries  such  as  the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Power or Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to reduce human-wildlife conflict, if so, the details thereof along with outcome of said efforts, State-wise including said places;
- (c) whether Project Elephant has been planned to cover parts of Madhya Pradesh, including regions adjacent to Dewas-Shajapur, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any elephant movement, habitat corridor mapping, or conflict mitigation has been identified in or near forested areas of the region, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has coordinated with Madhya Pradesh Forest Department to create elephant-sensitive landscapes near Dewas-Shajapur districts; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, whether the Government will consider expanding Project Elephant and habitat connectivity programme to Dewas-Shajapur?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND

CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (f) The Ministry is providing financial and technical assistance to State Governments/UTs  Administrations  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme Project Tiger & Elephant (CSS-PT&E) for protection of elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of human-elephant conflict and welfare of captive

elephants in the country.  Financial assistance is provided under the scheme as per the  Annual  Plan  of  Operations  submitted  by  the  State  Governments/UTs Administration for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country. The scheme  is  implemented  in  all  elephant  range  states  including  the  State  of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, in coordination with the Ministry of Railways, has taken several measures to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks including conducting inter-ministerial meetings. Speed restrictions in elephant habitats, pilot projects like seismic sensor-based elephant detection, construction  of  underpasses,  ramps,  fencing,  have  been  undertaken  at  various locations.

Further, the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun in consultation with the Ministry of Environment Forest, and Climate Change and other stakeholders has published a  document  namely  'Eco-friendly  Measures  to  Mitigate  Impacts  of  Linear Infrastructure'  to  assist  project  agencies  in  designing  linear  infrastructure, including railway lines, in a manner that reduces human-animal conflict.

A comprehensive report titled 'Suggested Measures to Mitigate Elephant & Other Wildlife  Train  Collisions  on  Vulnerable  Railway  Stretches  in  India'  has  been prepared  after  field  surveys  across  127  identified  railway  stretches  spanning  a total  of  3,452.4  km.  Based  on  the  intensity  of  wildlife  movement,  77  railway stretches  covering  1,965.2  km  across  14  States  have  been  prioritized  for mitigation along with site-specific interventions. The report containing the details of the identified stretches and the mitigation measures has been also shared with the State Governments and the Ministry of Railways.

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