Lok Sabha Question No. 2523 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-04
Subject: Human-Animal Conflict
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: PARVATAGOUDA CHANDANAGOUDA GADDIGOUDAR, RAGHAV LAKHANPAL, SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2523**

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2015

**Human-Animal Conflict**

2523.   SHRI P. C. GADDIGOUDAR:

SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY:

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

(a)      	whether incidents of Human-Animal Conflict resulting in loss of lives and damage to crops/property has been reported in the country;

(b)     	if so, the details of loss of lives/injuries and damage to crops/property reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c)     	the compensation/relief provided to the victims/farmers, State-wise; and

(d)    	the comprehensive measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to prevent human-animal conflict, in coordination with the States?

**ANSWER**

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

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

| 1. & (b)   | Incidences of loss of human lives and damage to crops by wild animals are reported in various parts of the country from time to time. Management of forest and wildlife is the responsibility of State Governments. As such State-wise and year-wise data of such incidents are not collated in the Ministry. However, the reports received from the States in National Tiger Conservation Authority and Project Elephant indicate the following data on human death due to Tiger and Elephant.  Tiger Elephant 2012-13 22 371 2013-14 24 335 2014-15 26 63 Current Year Not available Not available Total 72 769                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
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| (c)            | State Governments provide relief from their own funds as well from the assistance provided by Central Government for  *ex-gratia*  relief in respect of damage to crops and loss of human lives suffered by the victims of depredations/attacks by wild animals. The details of amount paid as compensation and details of beneficiaries are not collated in the Ministry. The Central Government provides financial assistance to the States/ Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project Tiger' and ’Project Elephant',  *inter alia,*  to make payment of  *ex-gratia*  relief.  The amount of  *ex-gratia*  relief eligible for assistance under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for payment to the victims of predation/depredation by wild animals, is as follows:  Sl. No. Nature of damage caused by wild animals Amount of ex-gratia relief (a) Death or permanent incapacitation Rs. 2,00,000/- (b) Grievous injury 30% of (a) (c) Minor injury Cost of treatment (d) Loss of property Value of loss/damage as assessed by authorized officer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| (d)            | The Central Government provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes as mentioned at (c) above for the management of wildlife and its habitats in the country, which  *inter alia*  helps in preventing human-animal conflict. The activities supported under the Schemes  *inter alia*  include construction /erection of physical barriers, such as barbed wire fence, solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields; improvement of wildlife habitat of wild animals by augmenting the availability of food and water in forest areas to reduce the entry of animals from forests to habitations and setting up of anti-depredation squads to drive away problematic animals.  Further, keeping in view the losses to crops inflicted by the wild animals, this Ministry, on 24  th  December, 2014 issued an advisory to the States highlighting the legal provisions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to deal with the human-wildlife conflict situations. Vide this advisory, Ministry has also sought proposals from State/Union Territory Governments, after objective assessment of the situation with details of the areas in which notification under section 62 of the Act, declaring any wild animals as vermin for specified period, could be helpful in management of conflict. The same advisory has also been sent to the Chief Minister’s and Environment and Forest Minister’s of all the States/Union Territory Governments and also to all the Council of Minister’s in the Government of India.  Further to this, Ministry has also issued a detailed advisory on 1  st  June, 2015 to the State/Union Territory Governments regarding the priority actions for management of human wildlife conflict. The State/UT Governments have been requested to institute a ‘Human Wildlife Management Strategy’ along with other suggested measures for the proper management and prevention of human wildlife conflict situations. |
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