Lok Sabha Question No. 119 (STARRED), answered on 2015-07-28
Subject: Illegal Trade in Wildlife
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. ASHOK KUMAR, VINOD KUMAR BOIANAPALLI

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

**LOK SABHA**

**STARRED QUESTION NO. *119**

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2015

**Illegal Trade in Wildlife**

*119.	SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR

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

1. whether incidents of smuggling of the skin of tigers have been reported in the country;
2. if so, the details thereof including the number of such cases reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise and the action taken against offenders involved in such illegal activities;
3. whether the Government proposes to hire cyber crime experts/specialists to handle ‘web patrolling’ data analysis to spot illegal wild life trade and create a database of such criminals;
4. if so, the details thereof; and
5. the steps taken by the Government to effectively check the illegal trade in wildlife?

**ANSWER**

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

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

| to (e)   |  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.   |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------|
|          | ***                                               |

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED Q.NO. *119  REGARDING  ‘Illegal Trade in Wildlife’  BY SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR  AND SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR DUE FOR REPLY ON 28.07.2015

|  and (b)      | The details of incidents of smuggling of the skin of tigers including the number of such cases reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise are at  **Annexure-I.**  Action against offenders is taken as per provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Consolidated details are as below:  Year             No. of cases  2015                    3  2014                   12  2013                     5  2012                   17                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ( c ) and (d) | The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has hired the services of a Cyber Crime Specialist/Consultant.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| (e)           | Step taken by the Government to intensify wildlife conservation efforts are as follows:  1. Hunting and commercial exploitation of wild animals included in various schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is prohibited. Offences committed in respect of these species attract punishment prescribed under the Act. 2. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been set up to strengthen the enforcement of law for control of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its products. 3. Protected Areas, viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and 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. 4. Financial and technical assistance is provided to the State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of “Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats”, “Project Tiger” and “Project Elephant” for providing better protection to wildlife and improvement of its habitat. 5. The State/Union Territory Government have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around the Protected Areas.  **** |

**Annexure-I**

**ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a ) and (b) of the lok sabha starred question no. *119 regarding ‘illegal trade in wildlife’ by shri k. ashok kumar and shri b. vinod kumar due for reply on 28.07.2015**

Details of incidents of smuggling of the skin of tigers including the number of such cases reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise

| Name of the State/UT   | Year   | Number of cases   |
|------------------------|--------|-------------------|
| West Bengal            | 2012   | 1                 |
| West Bengal            | 2013   | 0                 |
| West Bengal            | 2014   | 0                 |
| West Bengal            | 2015   | 0                 |
| Uttarakhand            | 2012   | 1                 |
| Uttarakhand            | 2013   | 0                 |
| Uttarakhand            | 2014   | 0                 |
| Uttarakhand            | 2015   | 0                 |
| Uttar Pradesh          | 2012   | 1                 |
| Uttar Pradesh          | 2013   | 2                 |
| Uttar Pradesh          | 2014   | O                 |
| Uttar Pradesh          | 2015   | 2                 |
| Tamil Nadu             | 2012   | 2                 |
| Tamil Nadu             | 2013   | 0                 |
| Tamil Nadu             | 2014   | 2                 |
| Tamil Nadu             | 2015   | 0                 |
| Odisha                 | 2012   | 1                 |
| Odisha                 | 2013   | 0                 |
| Odisha                 | 2014   | 0                 |
| Odisha                 | 2015   | 1                 |
| Maharashtra            | 2012   | 1                 |
| Maharashtra            | 2013   | 0                 |
| Maharashtra            | 2014   | 3                 |
| Maharashtra            | 2015   | 0                 |
| Madhya Pradesh         | 2012   | 3                 |
| Madhya Pradesh         | 2013   | 1                 |
| Madhya Pradesh         | 2014   | 1                 |
| Madhya Pradesh         | 2015   | 0                 |
| Karnataka              | 2012   | 5                 |
| Karnataka              | 2013   | 1                 |
| Karnataka              | 2014   | 0                 |
| Karnataka              | 2015   | 0                 |
| Haryana                | 2012   | 1                 |
| Haryana                | 2013   | 0                 |
| Haryana                | 2014   | 0                 |
| Haryana                | 2015   | 0                 |
| Chhattisgarh           | 2012   | 1                 |
| Chhattisgarh           | 2013   | 0                 |
| Chhattisgarh           | 2014   | 2                 |
| Chhattisgarh           | 2015   | 0                 |
| Chhattisgarh           |        |                   |

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