Lok Sabha Question No. 2664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Notified National Parks
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: AJAY (TENI) MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2664

TO BE ANSWERED ON  02.08.2016

## Notified National Parks

## 2664.  SHRI AJAY MISRA TENI:

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

- (a) the number and names of the sanctuaries notified as National Parks along with the date of notification;
- (b) whether incidents of corruption and poaching in many National Parks have come to  light  due  to  the  absence  of  proper  monitoring  and  non-constitution  of monitoring committees for the said National Parks;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the details of the action taken in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to put in place a monitoring system in order to check the recurrence of such incidents; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be done?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) Declaration/  notifying  any  area  as  National  Park  or  Wildlife  Sanctuary  is the  mandate  of  the  concerned  state  Government.  This  Information  is  not maintained at the  level of Ministry.
- (b) and (c) The management and protection of wild animals in and around the National Parks  and  Sanctuaries  in  the  country  is  carried  out  by  the  concerned State/Union Territory Governments. The details of poaching of animals and corruption  in  and  around  the  National  Parks  and  Sanctuaries  are  not collated  in  the  Ministry.  However,  the  Ministry  has  received  reports  of death of Tigers, Elephants and Rhinos in the past. The details of poaching of these animals as per the report received in the Ministry during last three years and the current year is given below:
- (d) and (e) Following monitoring system are  in place  in order to check the poaching of wildlife in the national parks:
- i. Information  technology  for  improved  surveillance  (e-Eye  system) using  thermal  cameras  has  been  launched  in  Ratapani  Wildlife Sanctuary, Corbett and Kaziranga  Tiger Reserves for protection of tigers and other species.
- ii. A  Rhino  Task  Force  has  been  created  for  suggesting  measures  to strengthen rhino protection in the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve.
- iii. The Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) has been made operational  in  the  States  of  Karnataka  (Bandipur),  Maharashtra (Pench  and  Tadoba-Andhari)  and  Odisha  (Similipal)  with  60% central assistance under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger.  In-principle approval has been accorded for creation of  the  said  force  in  Nawegoan-Nagzira,  Melghat  (Maharashtra), Kawal  and  Amrabad  (erstwhile  Nagarjunasagar  Srisailam  Tiger Reserve portion) Tiger Reserves (Telangana).
- iv. The  Wildlife  Crime  Control  Bureau  has  been  set  up  to  ensure  coordination among various officers and State Governments in connection with the enforcement of law for control of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its products.

| Name of the species   | Year    | Year    | Year    |
|-----------------------|---------|---------|---------|
| Name of the species   | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 |
| Elephant              | 46      | 21      | 22      |

| Rhinoceros   | 41        | 38        | 23       |
|--------------|-----------|-----------|----------|
| Tiger        | 20 (2013) | 14 (2014) | 12(2015) |

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