Lok Sabha Question No. 5057 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-23
Subject: SOP for Man-Animal Conflicts
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar, Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5057

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026

## SOP for Man-Animal Conflicts

## 5057. SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR: SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the rising incidents of human-wildlife conflict across States, particularly elephant-related deaths, if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b) whether any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been issued at the national level for  prevention  and  management  of  man-animal  conflicts,  if  so,  the  details  and implementation status thereof;
- (c) whether habitat fragmentation due to mining, highways and infrastructure projects has been identified as a major cause of wildlife movement into human settlements, if so, the corrective measures taken in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to establish elephant rescue centres and trained Quick Response Teams in vulnerable States, if so, the details and timelines therefor;
- (e) whether  compensation  mechanisms  for  victims  of  wildlife  attacks  vary  significantly across  States,  if  so,  whether  uniform  national  guidelines  are  proposed  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor; and
- (f) whether dedicated funds have been allocated for protection of elephant corridors and restoration of natural habitats, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (f) The management of  wildlife  including  mitigation  of  human-animal  conflicts  is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration. The State Government/UT Administration are the first responders to any conflict situation and they maintain the details of the conflict along with the species involved.

The  important  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  manage  the  human-wildlife conflicts include the following:

- i. An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued by the Ministry on 6 th  February, 2021. The Ministry has also issued Guidelines to  States/UTs  on  3 rd   June  2022  to  manage  Human  Wildlife  conflict including damage  to crops. 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 for its expeditious payments etc.
- ii. 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  taking  a  Harmonious  Coexistence  Approach  for  addressing human-wildlife conflicts. 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. Moreover, Field Manual for Frontline Staff on Human-Elephant Conflict Management, has also been released by the Ministry. Ministry has also released Guidelines on Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts on Linear Infrastructures on Wildlife.

- iii. 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.
- iv. The Section 11 (1) (a) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, empowers the State Chief Wild Life Wardens to grant permits for hunting animals falling in Schedule I of the Act, which become dangerous to human life. Further, the Section 11 (1) (b) of the Act empowers State Chief Wild Life Warden  or  any  authorized  officer  to  grant  permits  for  hunting  of  wild animals falling under Schedule-II of the Act, if such animals have become dangerous to human life or property.
- v. A  network  of  protected  areas  namely,  National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation  Reserves  and  Community  Reserves  covering  important wildlife habitats have been created all over the country under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.
- vi. The Ministry provides financial assistance to State Governments and Union Territory Administrations 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,  compensation  for  depredation  by  wild  animals including  cattle  lifting,  crop  damage,  loss  of  life  and  property.  Rapid Response Teams are also deployed to mitigate Human-Wildlife Conflict. Further,  the  Ministry enhanced the amount of ex-gratia relief  in  case  of death or permanent incapacitation due to wild animal attacks in December 2023  from  Rs.  5  lakhs  to  10  lakhs  under  these  Schemes,  subject  to availability of funds, and the payment of which is also governed by State specific guidelines/ provisions made in this regard.

The details are given in the table below:

| S. No.   | Nature of damage caused by wild animals   | Amount of ex-gratia relief                                           |
|----------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| i.       | Death or permanent incapacitation         | 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 Government may adhere to the cost norms prescribed by them. |

The States/Union Territories make ex-gratia payments for loss of livestock, crops and human life including injuries due to human-wildlife conflicts as per the norms, which vary in States and UTs.

- vii. Ministry  also  supports  the  focused  species  conservation  for  the  24 identified  critically  endangered  species  namely  Snow  Leopard,  Great Indian  Bustard  (including  Floricans),  Dolphin,  Hangul,  Nilgiri  Tahr, Marine  Turtles,  Dugongs,  Edible  Nest  Swiftlet,  Asian  Wild  Buffalo, Nicobar  Megapode,  Manipur  Brow-Antlered  Deer,  Vultures,  Malabar Civet,  Indian  Rhinoceros,  Asiatic  Lion,  Swamp  Deer,  Jerdon's  Courser, Northern  River  Terrapin,  Clouded  Leopard,  Arabian  Sea  Humpback Whale,  Red  Panda,  Caracal,  Gharial  and  Sloth  Bear  under  the  species recovery  programme  component  of  the  centrally  sponsored  scheme  of Development of Wildlife Habitats.
- viii. Advance  technology  like  radio  collaring,  digital  sensor  walls  and  Esurveillance are also used in human wildlife conflict mitigation.
- ix. The Ministry provides support to State Governments to organize awareness generation, training and capacity building programmes on human-wildlife conflict.  The  State  Forest  Departments  work  with  the  local  people  to address  the  Human Wildlife  Conflict  issues  through  periodic  awareness campaigns  to  sensitize,  guide  and  advise  the  general  public  on  humananimal  conflict  including  dissemination  of  information  through  various forms  of  media.  Further,  State  Forest  Departments  engage  with  local communities  to  monitor  the  movement  of  some  wildlife  species  and  to caution local people to avoid human-animal conflict, prevent damage or loss of human life, property and wildlife. The Ministry has also taken an initiative for establishment of the Centre of Excellence for the Human wildlife  Conflict  management,  at  Salim  Ali  Centre  for  Ornithology  and Natural History (SACON ), WII -South India Centre at Coimbatore.
- x. The  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  (NTCA)  and  the  Wildlife Institute of India, in accordance with Section 38O (1) (g) of the Wildlife (Protection)  Act,  1972,  have  identified  32  major  tiger  corridors  in  the country. The NTCA Guidelines (2012) and Standard Operating Procedures guide  tiger  and  habitat  management.  Similarly,  the  Ministry  has  also identified 150 elephant corridors in the country in 2023. The Ministry along with  the  State  Governments  and  UT  administrations  prepares  Regional Action  Plan  to  address  the  long  term  conservation  and  management  of elephants in the contiguous landscape.

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