Lok Sabha Question No. 200 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Human-Animal Conflicts in Kerala
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri K Sudhakaran

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 200

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024

## Huaman-Animal Conflicts in Kerala

## 200. SHRI K SUDHAKARAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the recent surge in human-animal conflicts across  the  State  of  Kerala,  as  highlighted  by  the  State  Forest  Department's  report identifying 1004 conflict zones;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the number of cases registered in the said State during the last one year and the current year, particularly in Kannur district;
- (c) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  providing  compensation  to  the families who have lost their loved ones along with the amount of compensation paid to each family in the said State during the last two years and the current year, year -wise;
- (d)   the steps taken by the Government to prioritize and implement comprehensive measures aimed at mitigating these conflicts sustainably; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  made  any  investment  in  technology  for  early  warning systems and promoting sustainable practices to foster co-existence between humans and wildlife, 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 KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) As  per  the  report  received  from  Chief  Wildlife  Warden,  Kerala,  the  State Government of Kerala has categorized 281 Panchayats as high human-wildlife conflict prone areas.

The Government of Kerala has also declared Human-Wild Animal Conflict as a 'State Specific Disaster' vide Government Order GO(MS) No. 4/2024/DMD dated 07/03/2024. Besides, guidelines for effective mitigation of human-wild animal conflict in the state have also been issued.

- (b) The total number of cases of human wild animals conflicts reported in Kerala and Kannur during the last year and current year are as follows:
- (c) The Central Government provides financial assistance to States and UTs for protection and management of wildlife including ex-gratia relief to the victims of  human  wild  animal  conflicts  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  'Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats'  and  'Project  Tiger  and  Elephant'.  The amount  of  ex-gratia to be paid to the victims of  death  or  permanent incapacitation  has  been  enhanced  from  Rs.  5.00  lakhs  to  Rs.  10.00  lakhs  in December 2023.

| Year    |   Number of cases of human wild animal conflicts in Kerala |   Number of cases of human wild animal conflicts in Kannur |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2023-24 |                                                       5500 |                                                        337 |
| 2024-25 |                                                       2630 |                                                        245 |

The  State  Government  of  Kerala  has  informed  that  compensation  is  paid  to victims of wild animal attacks in the State as per 'Kerala Rules for Payment of Compensation to  Victims  of  Attack  by  Wild  Animals  1980'.  The  details  of compensation paid to the victims of human wild animal attacks during the last two years and current year is furnished below:

| Year    |   No of Applications |   Compensation Paid (Rs Lakhs) |
|---------|----------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2022-23 |                   99 |                         337.31 |
| 2023-24 |                  184 |                         709.26 |
| 2024-25 |                 2640 |                         313.69 |

- (d) and (e) The important steps taken by the government to mitigate the Human-Wildlife Conflict including promotion of sustainable practices to foster co-existence, are as follows:
- i. The Ministry has issued an advisory on 06.02.2021 to all States/UTs to deal with human wildlife conflict situations.
- ii. The Ministry has issued Guidelines to States/UTs on 3 rd  June 2022 to manage Human Wildlife conflict including damage to crops.
- iii. The Ministry has released species-specific guidelines on 21.03.2023 for  mitigation  of  Human  Wildlife  conflicts  involving  Elephant, Gaur, Leopard, snake, Crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Pig, Bear, Blue Bull and Blackbuck. The Ministry has also issued guidelines for cross cutting issues such as cooperation with media, occupational health  and  safety  in  human-wildlife  conflict  mitigation,  crowd management  and  addressing  health  emergencies  arising  out  of human-wildlife conflict situations.
- iv. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been amended to provide statutory status  to  management  plans  of  the  protected  areas, mandating consultations with the concerned Gram Sabha.
- v. The Central Government provides financial assistance to State and Union  Territory Governments  under  the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' and 'Project Tiger and Elephant' for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country.

The  activities  supported  include  procurement  of  early  warning systems,  construction  and  erection  of  physical  barriers  such  as barbed  wire  fence, solar powered  electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields.

- vi. Advance  technology  like  radio  collaring,  E-surveillance  are  also used in human wildlife conflict mitigation.
- vii. The  state  forest  departments  also  organize  periodic  awareness campaigns to sensitize the general public on human-animal conflict. Further, Forest Departments are engaging with local communities as animal trackers to monitor the movement of elephants and to caution people in time.

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