Lok Sabha Question No. 125 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Elephant Mortality
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: C. MAHENDRAN

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *125

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2015

## Elephant Mortality

## *125.   SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  increasing  incidents  of  elephant  mortality reported from various parts of the country, particularly at railway tracks;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (c) whether the Government has taken up the matter with the Railway authorities as well as the State Governments so as to protect elephants and if so; the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (c)    A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (c)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *125 REGARDING 'ELEPHANT MORTALITY' DUE FOR REPLY ON 08.12.2015

- (a) to (b) Yes Sir.  State-wise details of unnatural elephant deaths, including due to train accidents, for last five years are at Annexure I .
- (c) The Government has taken the following measures, in consultation with Ministry of Railways and State Forest Departments, to prevent accidental deaths of elephants:
- (i) A  general  advisory  was  issued  jointly  to  all  the  railway  zones  and  relevant states suggesting measures  to prevent collision of trains with wild elephants. Some of the important recommendations are given below:
- (a) Clearance of vegetation on the sides of railway tracks.
- (b) Underpasses/overpasses/girder bridges across vulnerable stretches of railway tracks to allow safe passage elephants.
- (c) Signage boards to pre-warn the train drivers at selected points.
- (d) Sensitization programmes for Train Drivers/Guards/Station Masters.
- (e) Engagement  of  elephant  trackers  and  communication  with  Station Masters.
- (f) To keep Railway tracks free from food wastes that attracts elephants.
- (ii) A permanent coordination committee has been constituted jointly  by  the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Environment and Forests to share information and monitor the implementation of the advisory.
- (iii) In order to develop specific strategies and Standard Operating Procedures and  for  better  coordination  committees  have  been  constituted  between Zonal Railway Offices and State Forest Departments.
- (iv) Ministry  of  Railways  has  also  been  requested  to  regulate  the  speed  of trains in identified vulnerable sections between sunset and sunrise.
- (v) The coordination between local railway authorities and forest authorities at Central  and  State/Zonal  levels  have  been  effective.    As  a  result  of  this elephant mortality due to train accidents has reduced to 6 in the year 201415 as against 20 in 2010-11.

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## ANNEXURE I (A)

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *125  REGARDING 'ELEPHANT MORTALITY' DUE FOR REPLY ON 08.12.2015.

## Elephant Casualties due to Train Accidents

| State          | 2010-11                  | 2011-12                  | 2012-13                  | 2013-14                  | 2014-15                  |
|----------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| Assam          | 5 5                      | 7                        |                          | 1                        | 3                        |
| Andhra Pradesh | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| Chhattisgarh   | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| West Bengal    | 12                       | 3                        | 4                        | 13                       | 3                        |
| Tamil Nadu     | Information not received | Information not received | Information not received | Information not received | Information not received |
| Jharkhand      | 1                        | 1                        | 1                        | 1                        | 0                        |
| Kerala         | 1                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| Karnataka      | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| Nagaland       | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| Odisha         | 0                        | 2                        | 11                       | 1                        | 0                        |
| Tripura        | 1                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| Uttarakhand    | 0                        | 0                        | 2                        | 0                        | 0                        |
| Uttar Pradesh  | 0                        | 0                        | 0                        | 1                        | 0                        |
| Total          | 20                       | 11                       | 25                       | 17                       | 6                        |

## ANNEXURE I (B)

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *125  REGARDING 'ELEPHANT MORTALITY' DUE FOR REPLY ON 08.12.2015.

## Total Elephant Mortality from 2010-2014

|                   | 2010-11                             | 2011-12                             | 2012-13                             | 2013-14                                      | 2014-15                                      |
|-------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh    | 2                                   | 0                                   | 0                                   | 1                                            | 2                                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                            | Information not received                     |
| Assam             | 12                                  | 14                                  | 23                                  | 14                                           | 3                                            |
| Chhattisgarh      | 3                                   | 4                                   | 4                                   | Complete information not received from state | Complete information not received from state |
| Jharkhand         | 2                                   | 4                                   | 4                                   | 4                                            | 0                                            |
| Karnataka         | 20                                  | 15                                  | 14                                  | 5                                            | 15                                           |
| Kerala            | 7                                   | 4                                   | 4                                   | 0                                            | 3                                            |
| Maharashtra       | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                            | 0                                            |
| Meghalaya         | 1                                   | 4                                   | 9                                   | 6                                            | 4                                            |
| Nagaland          | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                            | 0                                            |
| Orissa            | 36                                  | 23                                  | 31                                  | 18                                           | 9                                            |
| Tamil Nadu        | Information not received from state | Information not received from state | Information not received from state | Information not received from state          | Information not received from state          |
| Tripura           | 1                                   | 0                                   | 0                                   | 0                                            | 1                                            |
| Uttar Pradesh     | 0                                   | 3                                   | 0                                   | 1                                            | 0                                            |
| Uttarakhand       | 0                                   | 1                                   | 5                                   | 0                                            | 0                                            |
| West Bengal       | 16                                  | 7                                   | 6                                   | 23                                           | Complete information not received from state |
|                   | 100                                 | 79                                  | 100                                 | 72                                           | 37                                           |