Lok Sabha Question No. 1093 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Human-Elephant Conflict
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Ranjit Dutta

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1093

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## Human-Elephant Conflict

## 1093.   SHRI RANJIT DUTTA:

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

- (a) whether wild elephants are causing damage to agriculture crops, property and human life in country especially in the State of Assam;
- (b) the details of incidents wherein loss of life and property like houses, agriculture crops etc. reported during the last five years, district-wise;
- (c) the details of the steps taken by the Government to reduce the human-elephant conflict;
- (d) whether the Government has implemented or proposes to implement any measure to grant compensation to affected farmers and families of victims; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a)&(b) The State-wise details of human casualties due to elephant attacks, during last five years, as per the information received from States including Assam, are enclosed as Annexure-I. The details of loss of property occurred due to wild elephant attacks across the country are not collated in the Ministry. However, district-wise details of incidents wherein loss of life and property like houses, agriculture crops etc. reported during the last five years in the state of Assam,  as  per  the  report  received  from  State,  are  enclosed  as Annexure  II and III respectively.
- (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 human-animal conflict including  dissemination  of  information  through  various  forms  of media.  Further, State Forest Departments are engaging with local communities to monitor the  movement of elephants and to caution local  people to avoid human-animal  conflict, prevent damage or loss of human life, property and elephants.

In  addition,  Ministry  has  taken  the  following  measures  to  help  in  mitigation  of  humanelephant conflict:-

- (i) The Ministry is providing financial and technical assistance to States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Project Tiger & Elephant for protection of elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of man-elephant conflict and welfare of captive elephants in the country.
- (ii) Other various Centrally Sponsored Schemes including Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat 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. 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.
- (iii) An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued by the Ministry in February, 2021. The advisory recommends coordinated inter-departmental 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 exgratia 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 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.
- (v) The  Wildlife  Institute  of  India,  Dehradun  in  consultation  with  the  Ministry  of Environment Forest, and Climate Change, National Highway Authority, National Tiger  Conservation  Authority  and  World  Bank  Group  has  published  a  document namely 'Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure' (2016) to assist project agencies in designing linear infrastructure, including railways lines, in a manner that reduces human-animal conflicts.
- (vi) 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.
- (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.  Further, the manual has been translated in local languages including Odia.
- (ix) The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides regulatory functions for dealing with human wildlife conflict situations.
- (x) A general advisory has been issued jointly by Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Environment and Forests on 30th March, 2010 to the General Managers of North Frontier (NF), East Cost and Southern Railways with a request to implement the suggested measures.
- (xi) Advisory  on  implementation  of  measures  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  power transmission  lines  and  other  power  infrastructure  on  elephant  and  other  wildlife issued by Ministry of Power to all DISCOMs and TRANSCOs has been circulated to all States/UTS on 16 th September, 2022.
- (xii) Ministry also released a Guidelines for Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation-Taking a  Harmonious  Coexistence  Approach  (2023)  for  addressing  human-elephant conflicts.
- (xiii) 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.  WL-21/4/2023  WL  dated  22 nd December, 2023, which includes increase in ex-gratia from ₹5lakh to ₹10 lakh in case of death by wild animals under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, Project Tiger & Elephant.
- (xiv) A permanent Co-ordination Committee has been constituted between Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for preventing elephant death in train accident.
- (xv) Inter-ministerial  meeting  convened  regularly  with  the  Ministry  of  Railways  and Ministry of Power to holistically address the issue of accidental death of elephant due to train hit and electrocution.
- (xvi) A Recommended Operating Procedure for capture and translocation of elephants in distress and conflicts released during the World Elephant Day 2024.
- (xvii) A Capacity Building Workshop on 'Mainstreaming Management of The Elephant Reserves' was conducted on 13 -15th March, 2023 at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
- (xviii) A  Capacity  Building  Workshop  on  'Minimizing  the  Impact  of  the  Railway  on Elephants and Other Wildlife' for the officials of Indian Railways was conducted on 23-25th November, 2023 at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
- (xix) A Capacity Building Workshop on 'Mainstreaming Management of The Elephant Reserves was conducted on 28- 29th November, 2023 at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
- (xx) A Capacity Building Workshop on 'Exploring solution for minimizing electrocution risk  and  promoting  wildlife  safety  across  power  infrastructure  in  India'  was conducted on 11- 13th January, 2024 at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
- (xxi) A capacity building workshops on "Minimizing Electrocution Risks and Promoting Wildlife Safety Across Power Infrastructure in India" and "Minimizing the Impact of the Railway on Elephants and Other Wildlife" from 20 - 22 nd November, 2024 at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
- (d) to (e)  In  addition  to  compensation schemes of the State Governments/UTs Administration, the Ministry  is  also  providing  financial  assistance  to  States/UTs  under  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme, Project Tiger & Elephant, for ex-gratia relief at the following rates:

| Sl. No.   | Nature of damage caused by wild animals           | Amount of ex-gratia relief                                           |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (i)       | Death or permanent incapacitation to human beings | Rs.10.00 lakhs                                                       |
| (ii)      | Grievous injury                                   | Rs.2.00 lakhs                                                        |
| (iii)     | Minor injury                                      | Cost of treatment up to Rs 25,000/- per person                       |
| (iv)      | Loss of property/crops                            | State/UT Governments may adhere to the cost norms prescribed by them |

ANNEXURE-I

REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  &  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.1093  RAISED  BY  SHRI  RANJIT  DUTTA  REGARDING  'HUMANELEPHANT CONFLICT' DUE FOR REPLY ON 10.02.2025.

## Human casualties due to elephant attack

| S.No.   | State               | 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2021-22 2022-23   | 2023-24          |
|---------|---------------------|-----------|-----------|-------------------|------------------|
| 1       | 4                   | 6         | 4         | 5                 | Andhra Pradesh 6 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh 0 | 0         | 2         | 0                 | 0                |
| 3       | Assam 75            | 91        | 63        | 80                | 74               |
| 4       | Chhattisgarh 77     | 42        | 64        | 69                | 51               |
| 5       | Jharkhand 84        | 74        | 133       | 96                | 87               |
| 6       | Karnataka 30        | 26        | 27        | 29                | 48               |
| 7       | Kerala 12           | 20        | 25        | 22                | 23               |
| 8       | Maharashtra 1       | 0         | 0         | 2                 | 5                |
| 9       | 4                   | 6         | 3         | 3                 | Meghalaya 7      |
| 10      | Nagaland 0          | 0         | 0         | 1                 | 1                |
| 11      | Odisha 117          | 93        | 112       | 148               | 154              |
| 12      | Tamil Nadu 58       | 57        | 37        | 43                | 61               |
| 13      | Tripura 2           | 1         | 2         | 2                 | 1                |
| 14      | Uttar Pradesh 6     | 1         | 0         | 4                 | 4                |
| 15      | Uttarakhand NR      | NR        | NR        | 4                 | 8                |
| 16      | West Bengal         | 116 47    | 77        | 97                | 99               |
| Total   | Total               | 586       | 464       | 549 605           | 629              |

* NR- Information not received from State.

ANNEXURE-II REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  &  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.1093  RAISED  BY  SHRI  RANJIT  DUTTA  REGARDING  'HUMANELEPHANT CONFLICT' DUE FOR REPLY ON 10.02.2025. District/Division wise human death record due to human wildlife conflict during last five years.

| Name of the District   | Name of the Division   |   2020 |   2021 |   2022 |   2023 |   2024 |
|------------------------|------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Sonitpur               | Sonitpur West          |      4 |      6 |      2 |      7 |      6 |
| Sonitpur               | Sonitpur East          |      0 |      4 |      0 |      0 |      1 |
| Sivsagar               | Sivsagar               |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|                        | Golaghat               |      1 |      4 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Golaghat               | Eastern Assam W/L      |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Nagaon                 | Nagaon South           |      0 |      0 |      0 |      1 |      0 |
| Nagaon                 | NagaonWL               |      1 |      0 |      1 |      0 |      0 |
| Nagaon                 | Nagaon (T)             |      6 |      6 |     10 |     14 |      5 |
| Jorhat                 | Jorhat                 |      0 |      1 |      4 |      1 |      0 |
| Lakhimpur              | Lakhimpur              |      2 |      4 |      2 |      3 |      3 |
| Bongaigaon             | Aie Valley             |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| N.C.Hills              | NC Hills               |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Karimganj              | Karimganj              |      3 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Dibrugarh              | Dibrugarh              |      1 |      0 |      2 |      0 |      0 |
| Tinsukia               | Doomdooma              |      4 |      2 |      3 |      4 |      1 |
| Tinsukia               | Digboi                 |      4 |      4 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Tinsukia               | TinsukiaWL             |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Kamrup                 | North Kamrup           |      0 |      1 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Kamrup                 | Kamrup West            |      1 |      3 |      2 |      5 |      4 |
| Kamrup                 | Guwahati Wildlife      |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Kamrup                 | Kamrup East            |      6 |      3 |      0 |      3 |      1 |
| Kokrajhar              | Haltugaon              |      0 |      0 |      2 |      3 |      1 |
| Dhemaji                | Dhemaji                |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Karbi Anglong          | Karbi anglong East     |      5 |      1 |      0 |      2 |      2 |
|                        | Karbi Alonglong West   |      0 |      1 |      0 |      0 |      1 |
|                        | Hamren                 |      3 |      2 |      1 |      0 |      0 |
| Goalpara               | Goalpara               |     14 |     19 |     24 |     14 |     22 |
| Darrang                | Mangaldoi              |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Udalguri               | Dhansiri               |     19 |      8 |     14 |     21 |      8 |
| Chirang                | Chirang                |      3 |      3 |      0 |      1 |      1 |
| Baksa                  | Baksa                  |      0 |      3 |      5 |     10 |      7 |
| Dhubri                 | Dhubri                 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Barpeta                | FDTP (Manas)           |      0 |      1 |      1 |      1 |      0 |
| Kokrajhar              | Kochugaon              |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Majuli                 | Majuli                 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      1 |
| Dhubri                 | Parbatjhora            |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|                        | Western Assam W/L      |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| Sonitpur               | Bishwanah Wl           |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|                        | Total                  |     77 |     76 |     73 |     90 |     64 |

## ANNEXURE-III

## REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1093 RAISED BY SHRI RANJIT DUTTA REGARDING 'HUMAN- ELEPHANT CONFLICT' DUE FOR REPLY ON 10.02.2025.

Division/District wise details of House Damage & Crop Damage families due to wild animal/elephant conflict during last five years

| Sl. No.   | Name of District   | Name of the Division   | 2020-21      | 2020-21        | 2021-22      | 2021-22        | 2022-23      | 2022-23        | 2023-24      | 2023-24        | 2024-25      | 2024-25        |
|-----------|--------------------|------------------------|--------------|----------------|--------------|----------------|--------------|----------------|--------------|----------------|--------------|----------------|
| Sl. No.   | Name of District   | Name of the Division   | No. of House | Crops in Bigha | No. of House | Crops in Bigha | No. of House | Crops in Bigha | No. of House | Crops in Bigha | No. of House | Crops in Bigha |
| 1         | Sonitpur           | Sonitpur West          | 77           | 126            | 12           | 151            | 68           | 54.5           | 36           | 128            | 0            | 0              |
| 2         | Sonitpur           | Sonitpur East          | 30           | 424            | 16           | 76             | 9            | 35             | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 3         | Sivsagar           | Sivsagar               | 41           | 112            | 10           | 42             | 7            | 0              | 9            | 96             | 15           | 7.5            |
| 4         | Golaghat           | Golaghat               | 19           | 92             | 19           | 0              | 13           | 0              | 0            | 0              | 25           | 88             |
| 5         | Golaghat           | Eastern AssamWL        | 34           | 296            | 4            | 156            | 0            | 234            | 0            | 0              | 22           | 15             |
| 6         | Nagaon             | Nagaon South           | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 8            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 2.2            |
| 7         | Nagaon             | NagaonWL               | 0            | 0              | 0            | 12             | 0            | 0              | 1            | 3              | 0            | 0              |
| 8         | Nagaon             | Nagaon (T)             | 49           | 101            | 56           | 201            | 22           | 198            | 68           | 357            | 0            | 175            |
| 9         | Jorhat             | Jorhat                 | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 10        | Lakhimpur          | Lakhimpur              | 0            | 0              | 11           | 56             | 8            | 7              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 11        | N.C.Hills          | NC Hills               | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 12        | Karimganj          | Karimganj              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 13        | Dibrugarh          | Dibrugarh              | 8            | 112            | 11           | 152            | 13           | 0              | 0            | 0              | 14           | 0              |
| 14        | Tinsukia           | Doomdooma              | 12           | 76             | 31           | 88             | 60           | 485            | 82           | 266            | 32           | 375            |
| 15        | Tinsukia           | Digboi                 | 27           | 110            | 45           | 202            | 74           | 60             | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 16        | Tinsukia           | TinsukiaWL             | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 17        | Tinsukia           | North Kamrup           | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 18        | Tinsukia           | Kamrup West            | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 19        | Kamrup             | Kamrup East            | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 16           | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 40             |
| 20        | Tinsukia           | Guwahati Wildlife      | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 21        | Kokrajhar          | Haltugaon              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 22        | Dhemaji            | Dhemaji                | 9            | 88             | 4            | 43             | 2            | 60             | 0            | 0              | 2            | 91             |
| 23        | Karbi Anglong      | Karbi anglong East     | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 24        | Karbi Anglong      | Karbi anglong West     | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |
| 25        | Karbi Anglong      | Hamren                 | 2            | 33             | 0            | 0              | 50           | 104            | 0            | 0              | 0            | 60             |
| 26        | Goalpara           | Goalpara               | 55           | 89             | 62           | 119            | 236          | 375            | 326          | 560            | 0            | 126            |
| 27        | Darrang            | Mangaldoi              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              | 0            | 0              |

| 28    | Udalguri   | Dhansiri     |   106 |   353 |   85 |   251 |   106 |    656 |   321 |   687.695 |   165 |    296 |
|-------|------------|--------------|-------|-------|------|-------|-------|--------|-------|-----------|-------|--------|
| 29    | Chirang    | Chirang      |     0 |     0 |    0 |     0 |    97 |   49   |     0 |      0    |   309 |  278   |
| 30    | Baksa      | Baksa        |    84 |   101 |   74 |   257 |    95 |  556   |     0 |      0    |   266 |    0   |
| 31    | Dhubri     | Dhubri       |     0 |     0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |    0   |     0 |      0    |     0 |    0   |
| 32    | Barpeta    | FDTP (Manas) |     0 |     0 |    0 |     0 |     1 |   12   |    46 |     88    |    24 |   92   |
| 33    | Kokrajhar  | Kochugaon    |     0 |     0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |    0   |     0 |      0    |     0 |    0   |
| 34    | Majuli     | Majuli       |     6 |     0 |    8 |     0 |    12 |   33   |     0 |      0    |     0 |    0   |
| Total | Total      | Total        |   559 |  2113 |  448 |  1806 |   897 | 2918.5 |   889 |   2185.69 |   874 | 1645.7 |