Lok Sabha Question No. 1610 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Escalating Human-Animal Conflicts
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adv. Adoor Prakash

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1610

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## Escalating Human-Animal Conflicts

## 1610. ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of rising human casualties in escalating wild animal attack in many States including Kerala;
- (b) whether the Union Government has received request from States including Kerala to make necessary amendments in the relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act to address the escalating man-animal conflicts;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Union Government thereto;
- (d) whether  the  Government  noted  that  the  State  of  Kerala  has  passed  a  Bill  to  amend  the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 to address the rising human-animal conflicts in the State, if so, the response of the Government thereto; and
- (e) whether the Union Government plans to convene a meeting of the State Forest Ministers to review the situation and prepare a national plan considering the severeness of the issue, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e) The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was amended in year 2022. The amendment also included rationalization of listing of species of wild animals in Schedule I and Schedule II appended to the Act. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides regulatory framework for dealing with human-wildlife conflict situations.

The State Government/Union Territory Administration is the first responder in Human Wildlife Conflict situations.The important steps taken by the Government to manage the human-wildlife conflicts include the following:

- i. 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.
- ii. 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.

- iii. 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.
- iv. 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.
- v. 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 Ecofriendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts on Linear Infrastructures on Wildlife.
- 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.
- vii. Advance technology like radio collaring, digital sensor walls and E- surveillance are also used in human wildlife conflict mitigation.
- viii. 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 has initiated the preparation of  Regional  Action  Plan  to address  the  long  term  conservation  and  management  of elephants in the contiguous landscape.
- 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  human-animal  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.

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