Lok Sabha Question No. 3669 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Human-Elephant Conflict
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Shreyas M Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3669

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025

## Human-Elephant Conflict

## 3669.   SHRI SHREYAS M PATEL:

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

- (a) the  data  of  human-elephant  conflict  and  fatalities  in  Karnataka  especially  in  Hassan District during the last five years;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted or supported any scientific assessment of the elephant population growth in the said district and if so, the details thereof along with the current estimated population of the elephants in the said district;
- (c) whether any data has been maintained on the extent of crop loss and economic damage due to elephant raids in this region and if so, the details thereof along with compensation provided to the affected farmers;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  considering  inter-state  translocation  of  elephants  from human-dominated areas like Hassan to reduce conflict;
- (e) whether the Government has considered allocating a dedicated Elephant Corridor Grant or  extending  support  under  any  existing  scheme  to  establish  safe  and  uninterrupted corridors  for  elephant  movement  in  these  regions,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the timeline for its implementation; and
- (f) whether the Government plans to assist Karnataka in creating ideal elephant habitats within forest reserves by enhancing  water  sources,  planting fodder  trees,  and regenerating bamboo to prevent elephants from entering human settlements and if not, the reasons therefor and whether the Government will consider taking urgent steps in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a)to(f) As per the  information  received  from  the  State  of  Karnataka,  the  detail  of  human fatalities due to elephant attack in the State of Karnataka and Hassan District during the last five years is as under:

| Year    |   No. of human deaths Hassan |   No. of Human deaths in Karnataka |
|---------|------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2020-21 |                            5 |                                 26 |
| 2021-22 |                            5 |                                 28 |
| 2022-23 |                            4 |                                 32 |
| 2023-24 |                            4 |                                 48 |
| 2024-25 |                            6 |                                 36 |

The detail of damage to crops due to elephant raids and the compensation paid in Hassan District, as per the information received from the State of Karnataka, is given below:

| Year    | No. of Crop damage due to elephants   | Compensation paid   |
|---------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|
| 2022-23 | 4,285                                 | ₹ 2,97,38,199       |
| 2023-24 | 3,641                                 | ₹ 4,07,82,804       |
| 2024-25 | 3,015                                 | ₹ 3,80,30,188       |

The management of wildlife including mitigation and management of human-elephant conflict (HEC) is primarily the responsibility of State Government/UT Administration. The State Forest Departments work with the local people to address the HEC issues through periodic awareness campaigns to sensitize, guide and advise the general public on human-animal conflict including dissemination of information through various forms of media.  Further, State Forest Departments engage with local communities to prevent damage or loss of human life, property and elephants.  Further, the  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972  provides  regulatory  functions  for  dealing  with human-wildlife situations.

To reduce human-elephant conflict, compensation is provided to people for loss of their property and life caused by wild elephants. In addition, the Central Government also provides financial assistance to State Governments/UTs Administration 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.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in coordination with the State  Forest  Departments,  have  ground-validated  150  elephant  corridors  across  15 elephant  range  states  (i.e.  Andhra  Pradesh,  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Assam,  Bihar, Chhattisgarh,  Jharkhand,  Karnataka,  Kerala,  Meghalaya,  Nagaland,  Odisha,  Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal) in India and informed the State Governments/UT Administrations to take necessary steps to protect and conserve the elephant corridors.