Lok Sabha Question No. 1710 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Special Tiger Protection Force
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAJU ALIAS DEVAPPA ANNA SHETTI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1710

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2016

## Special Tiger Protection Force

## 1710.  SHRI RAJU SHETTY:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  amendments  in  the  guidelines  of  Special  Tiger Protection Force (STPF) for deployment of personnel from forest department instead of local police;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of funds released to National Tiger Conservation Authority  (NTCA)  for strengthening STPF by equipping them with arms; and
- (d) the other steps taken by the Government to check illegal trade of wild life?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) No Sir.  There is no proposal to make amendments in the existing guidelines of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) since both options either of Police personnel (option-I) or of forest personnel (option-II) is available.
- (b) Question does not arise.
- (c) Annual  budgetary  allocation  for  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Project  Tiger  provides funding support to tiger reserves for various activities, which inter alia ,  includes funding for raising, arming and deploying of STPF also.
- (d) The steps taken by the Government of India to check illegal trade of wildlife is at Annexure-I.

***

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1710 ON SPECIAL TIGER PROTECTION FORCE DUE FOR REPLY ON 08.03.2016

## Measures taken by Government to protect wild animals from Hunting and Illegal Trade

Legal  protection  under  section  9  read  with  51  against  hunting -  Hunting  of  wild  animals  is prohibited but for exceptional circumstances.

The Wildlife Act prescribes stringent punishment for Hunting and Illegal trade.  These are as follows:

- i) For hunting and illegal trade in wild animals belonging to Schedule I and Part II of Schedule II Minimum 3 years imprisonment extendable to 7 years and a minimum fine of Rs. 10,000/-
2. ii) For hunting and illegal trade in wild animals belonging to other Schedules - Imprisonment upto 3 years  or  a  fine  upto  Rs.  25,000/-  or  both.  Such  offences  can  also  be  compounded,  the  amount  not exceeding Rs.25,000/-.
3. iii) For offences in relation to zoos, the punishment prescribed is imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of up to Rs. 2,000/- or with both.
4. iv) In addition to the above punishments, the court trying the offence may also order the forfeiture of any equipment, vehicle or weapon to the State Govt., cancel any wildlife licence or permit held by the person, as well as cancel the Arms licence and debar for an Arms licence for a period of 5 years.
- v) There is also a provision for Forfeiture of Property of offenders who are awarded sentence of 3 years or more of imprisonment.
6. vi)  As  per  the  Wildlife  (Protection)  Amendment Act, 2006, punishment for offences relating to core areas of tiger reserves has been made more stringent:-
7. (a) Under Section 51 (1C), any person, who commits an offence in relation to the core area of a tiger  reserve  or  where  the  offence  relate  to  hunting  in  the  tiger  reserve  or  altering  the boundaries  of  the  tiger  reserve,  such  offence  shall  be  punishable  on  first  conviction  with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but may extend to seven years, and also with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but may extend to two lakh rupees; and in the event of a second or subsequent conviction with imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and also with fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees but may extend to fifty lakh rupees.
8. (b) Whoever  abets  any  offence  punishable  under  sub-section  (1C)  shall,  if  the  act  abetted  is committed in consequence of the abetment, be punishable with the punishment provided for that offence.

## Penalties under Custom Act, 1962

Section 3(2) of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1947 provides that all items (including fauna and flora) covered in the Import-Export Policy will be deemed to be covered under Section 11 of the Customs Act, 1962.  As a consequence, all cases of violation of the Import-Export Policy in general, and  CITES  in  particular,  constitute  an  offence  under  the  Customs  Act  and  are  dealt  with  by  the Custom Officials.