Lok Sabha Question No. 144 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Human-Animal Conflicts
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *144

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2016

## Human-Animal Conflicts

## *144.  SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

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

- (a) whether incidents of tiger attacks on human beings have been reported and if so, the details of such cases during the last three years, State-wise;
- (b) the compensation paid to the victims during the above period;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  monitor  the  movement  of  tigers  through electronic surveillance;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  and the main features thereof and the time by which the said mechanism is likely to be implemented in the country; and
- (e) the measures taken or proposed to be taken to prevent human-animal conflicts, in consultation with the State Governments?

## ANSWER

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

(a), (b), (c), (d) & (e):- A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b), (c), (d) & (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *144 ON HUMAN-ANIMAL CONFLICTS DUE FOR REPLY ON 08.03.2016

- (a) Yes Sir.  The details of incidents of tiger attacks on human beings during the last three years and current year, in and around tiger reserves, as reported by States, State-wise, are at Annexure-I.
- (b) Under  the  ongoing  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Project  Tiger,  funding  assistance  is given to the tiger range States / tiger reserves, based on their demand in the Annual Plan of Operation for various activities which, interalia includes provision for ex-gratia payment / mitigation of human-wildlife conflict.  The details of allocation under the aforesaid head, tiger reserve-wise for the above period are at Annexure-II. Besides, the State Governments also provide compensation / make ex-gratia payment from their own budget as per the provisions made by the concerned States.  The data related to the compensation / ex-gratia payments made by the States is not collated at the Government of India level.
- (c) & (d) The  Government  of  India  through  the  National  Tiger Conservation  Authority  has operationalized and funded setting up of Electronic Eye (E-eye) surveillance in Corbett and Kaziranga  Tiger  Reserves  along  with  Ratapani  Wildlife  Sanctuary  in  Madhya  Pradesh. Besides observing the movement of tigers and other animals, this acts as an early warning system wherein movement of poachers and intruders can be viewed before they reach the sensitive areas of tiger reserves thereby preventing any wildlife crime.  This also helps in monitoring dispersal of wild animals in human habitations.  This facility may be replicated in  other  tiger  reserves  also,  if  needed.    Besides,  there  are  tools  like  M-STrIPES  and Unmanned Aerial  Vehicle,  which  are  also  being  used  in  some  of  the  tiger  reserves  for monitoring movement of tigers and other animals.  Other than this, softwares like HEJJE and HULI are also being used by the State of Karnataka.
- (e) The National Tiger Conservation Authority has evolved a multi-pronged strategy to deal with human-wildlife (tiger) conflict and the same are at Annexure-III.

***

ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *144  ON  HUMAN-ANIMAL  CONFLICTS  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON 08.03.2016.

Details of incidents of tiger attacks on human beings during the last three years, and current year, in and around tiger reserves, as reported by States, State-wise

| S.No.   | State             |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 (as on 3.3.2016) |
|---------|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 3       | Assam             |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 4       | Bihar             |         0 |         1 |         0 |                          0 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh      |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 6       | Jharkhand         |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 7       | Karnataka         |         2 |         5 |         3 |                          2 |
| 8       | Kerala            |         0 |         0 |         1 |                          1 |
| 9       | Madhya Pradesh    |         2 |         3 |         5 |                          1 |
| 10      | Maharashtra       |         7 |         3 |         8 |                          0 |
| 11      | Mizoram           |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 12      | Odisha            |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 13      | Rajasthan         |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          1 |
| 14      | Tamil Nadu        |         0 |         3 |         1 |                          1 |
| 15      | Telangana         |         0 |         0 |         0 |                          0 |
| 16      | Uttar Pradesh     |         4 |         8 |         0 |                          1 |
| 17      | Uttarakhand       |         0 |         4 |         0 |                          1 |
| 18      | West Bengal       |         6 |         6 |        10 |                          0 |
|         | TOTAL             |        21 |        33 |        28 |                          8 |

***

ANNEXURE-II

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *144  ON  HUMAN-ANIMAL  CONFLICTS  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON 08.03.2016.

Details of allocation under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger, funding assistance  is  given  to  the  tiger  range  States  /  tiger  reserves,  based  on  their  demand  in  the Annual Plan of Operation for various activities which, interalia includes provision for ex-gratia payment / mitigation of human-wildlife conflict, tiger reserve-wise for last three years

(Rs. in Lakhs)

| S. No.   | Tiger Reserves            | States            |   Total Sanctioned 2012-13 |   Total Sanctioned 2013-14 |   Total Sanctioned 2014-15 |   Total Sanctioned 2015-16 (as on 3.3.2016) |
|----------|---------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Nagarjunsagar             | Andhra Pradesh    |                      7     |                      6     |                      12    |                                       0     |
|          | Kawal                     | Andhra Pradesh    |                      0     |                      4.852 |                       6    |                                       0     |
| 2        | Namdhapa                  | Arunachal Pradesh |                      0     |                      0     |                       0    |                                       1     |
| 3        | Pakke                     | Arunachal Pradesh |                     14     |                     61.06  |                       5.06 |                                       5.42  |
| 4        | Kaziranga                 | Assam             |                     11     |                      7     |                       3    |                                       1     |
| 5        | Manas                     | Assam             |                      7.8   |                      2.65  |                      19    |                                       6.1   |
| 6        | Nameri                    | Assam             |                      0     |                      0     |                       0    |                                       0     |
| 7        | Valmiki                   | Bihar             |                      4     |                      2     |                       4    |                                       0.5   |
| 8        | Achanakmar                | Chhattisgarh      |                      2.5   |                      3     |                       4    |                                       3     |
| 9        | Indravati                 | Chhattisgarh      |                      0     |                      6.5   |                       3    |                                       3     |
| 10       | Udanti-Sitanadi           | Chhattisgarh      |                      2     |                      2.5   |                       6    |                                       1.75  |
| 11       | Palamau                   | Jharkhand         |                      2     |                     17     |                       7    |                                       0     |
| 12       | Bandipur                  | Karnataka         |                     24.155 |                      0     |                       8    |                                       8     |
| 13       | Bhadra                    | Karnataka         |                     17     |                      4.5   |                       7    |                                       0     |
| 14       | Dandeli Anshi             | Karnataka         |                      8     |                      2     |                      11.52 |                                       2.9   |
| 15       | Nagarhole                 | Karnataka         |                      4.732 |                     15     |                       4    |                                       4     |
| 16       | Biligiri Rangantha Temple | Karnataka         |                     35.706 |                      3.2   |                      13.25 |                                      17.389 |
| 17       | Periyar                   | Kerala            |                     17.5   |                      2.75  |                       0.75 |                                       7     |
| 18       | Parambikulam              | Kerala            |                      6.25  |                      6.5   |                       3    |                                       4     |
| 19       | Bandhavgarh               | Madhya Pradesh    |                      3.5   |                     12     |                       0    |                                       0     |
| 20       | Kanha                     | Madhya Pradesh    |                     13.75  |                     15.66  |                      19    |                                       0     |
| 21       | Panna                     | Madhya Pradesh    |                      4     |                      2     |                       2.5  |                                       0     |
| 22       | Pench                     | Madhya Pradesh    |                      0     |                      0     |                       2    |                                       0     |
| 23       | Sanjay Dubri              | Madhya Pradesh    |                      2     |                      1     |                       2    |                                       0     |
| 24       | Satpura                   | M.P               |                      5     |                      5     |                       4    |                                       0     |
| 25       | Melghat                   | Maharashtra       |                      0     |                      4     |                       0    |                                       0     |
| 26       | Pench                     | Maharashtra       |                     25     |                      0     |                       0    |                                       0     |
| 27       | Tadoba-Andheri            | Maharashtra       |                     18.14  |                      0     |                       0.5  |                                       0     |

| 28   | Sahyadri             | Maharashtra   |       0 |    0.00 |    0.00 |   0.500 |
|------|----------------------|---------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| 29   | Nawegaon-Nagzira     | Maharashtra   |   0     |   0     |   0     |   0     |
| 30   | Bor                  | Maharashtra   |   0     |   0     |   0     |   0     |
| 31   | Dampa                | Mizoram       |   8     |   5     |   6     |   0     |
| 32   | Satkosia             | Odisha        |   0     |  10     |  13     |   5     |
| 33   | Similipal            | Odisha        |   2     |  25     |   2     |   3     |
| 34   | Ranthambhore         | Rajasthan     |  16     |  16     |  12.5   |   7.5   |
| 35   | Sariska              | Rajasthan     |   1     |   0.5   |   1.3   |   0.8   |
| 36   | Mukandara            | Rajasthan     |   0     |   0     |   0     |   0.5   |
| 37   | Kalakad Mundanthurai | Tamil Nadu    |  17     |   6     |  10.99  |  30.25  |
| 38   | Mudumalai            | Tamil Nadu    |  15.6   |   5.7   |   8.5   |   6     |
| 39   | Anamalai             | Tamil Nadu    |  23.42  |   9.95  |  23.67  |   8.45  |
| 40   | Sathyamangalam       | Tamil Nadu    |   0     |  11.86  |   0     |   7.08  |
| 41   | Kawal                | Telangana     |   0     |   0     |   0     |   0     |
| 42   | Amrabad              | Telangana     |   0     |   0     |   0     |   3     |
| 43   | Corbett              | Uttarakhand   |  13     |  19.5   |   0     |  18.5   |
| 44   | Rajaji               | Uttarakhand   |   0     |   0     |   0     |  13     |
| 45   | Buxa                 | West Bengal   |  10     |   8     |  16     |   8     |
| 46   | Sunderbans           | West Bengal   |  55.5   |  53     |  10     |  36     |
| 47   | Dudhwa               | Uttar Pradesh |  21.49  |  15.45  |  17.56  |  16.95  |
| 48   | Pilibhit             | Uttar Pradesh |   0     |   0     |  25.9   |   1.5   |
|      |                      |               | 418.043 | 372.132 | 293.995 | 231.089 |

***

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *144  ON  HUMAN-ANIMAL  CONFLICTS  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON 08.03.2016.

## National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  has  a  multi-pronged  strategy  to  deal  with  humanwildlife (tiger) conflict

- (i) Material  and  logistical  support: Funding  support through the ongoing  Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger, is provided to tiger reserves for acquiring capacity in terms  of  infrastructure  and  material,  to  deal  with  tigers  dispersing  out  of  source  areas. These are solicited  by  tiger  reserves  through  an  Annual  Plan  of  Operation  (APO)  every year which stems out from an overarching Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP), mandated under Section 38 V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Inter alia, activities such as payment of  ex-gratia  and  compensation,  periodic  awareness  campaigns  to  sensitize,  guide  and advise the general populace on man-animal conflict, dissemination of information through various  forms  of  media,  procurement  of  immobilization  equipment,  drugs,  training  and capacity building of forest staff to deal with conflict events are generally solicited.
- (ii) Habitat interventions: The Tiger Conservation Plan as referred above has provisions for habitat interventions like grassland management and development of water sources so as to provide optimal conditions for prey and predators.
- (iii) Restricting  habitat  interventions :  Based  on  the  carrying  capacity  of  tigers  in  a  tiger reserve,  habitat  interventions  are  restricted  through  an  overarching  TCP.    In  case  tiger numbers are at carrying capacity levels, it is advised that habitat interventions should be limited  so  that  there  is  no  excessive  spill  over  of  wildlife  including  tigers  thereby minimizing  man-animal  conflict.    Further,  in  buffer  areas  around  tiger  reserves,  habitat interventions are restricted  such that they are sub-optimal  vis-à-vis the core/critical  tiger habitat areas, judicious enough to facilitate dispersal to other rich habitat areas only.
- (iv) Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs): The National Tiger Conservation Authority has issued following three SOPs to deal with man-animal conflict which are available in public domain:
- i) To deal with emergency raising due to straying of tigers in human dominated landscapes
- ii) To deal with tiger depredation on livestock
- iii) For active management towards rehabilitation of tigers from source areas at the landscape level.

The  three  SOPs inter  alia include the  issue  of  managing  dispersing  tigers, managing livestock kills so as to reduce conflict as well as relocating tigers from source areas to areas where density of tiger is low, so that conflict in rich source areas does not occur.