Parliament Question: Check on Man-Animal Conflict

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4919 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026 Check on Man-Animal Conflict

4919. SHRI SUNIL BOSE:

SHRI V K SREEKANDAN:

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

(a) whether the Government is aware that man-animal conflict has increased in various States especially in Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha Constituency in Karnataka;

(b) if so, the details thereof as on date and the reasons for such conflicts;

(c) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to save the inhabitants, their crops and livestock’s/pet animals from wild animal attacks;

(d) whether any survey has been conducted on the wild animals and if so, the details thereof;

(e) the details of help and assistance provided to State Forest Department in trapping such animals and send them back to dense forest; and

(f) whether it is a fact that engagement with local people is key to mitigate human wildlife conflicts in the country, if so, the steps taken in this regard? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (f) Incidences of human-wildlife conflicts have been reported from various parts of the country including from the state of Karnataka. The management of wildlife including the mitigation of human-wildlife conflict is primarily the responsibility of the concerned States/UTs. The State Governments & Union Territory Administrations are the first responders to any conflict situation and they maintain the details of the conflict along with the species involved.

Human Wildlife Conflict may be attributed to increase in human population, industrial development, expansion of human habitations coupled with increase in the population density of wildlife due to enhanced conservation and protection of wildlife habitat efforts over the years. The overlap of human settlements in wildlife landscapes and corridors have resulted in increased conflict further exacerbated by changing crop patterns, presence of stray dogs and cattle in forest fringe areas etc.

Moreover, the degradation and fragmentation of habitats, depletion of natural prey bases, and continued human use of forest resources such as grazing, fuelwood collection, grass harvesting, and extraction of wild fruits further intensify human– wildlife interactions, thereby increasing the likelihood of conflict.

The important steps taken by the Government to manage the human-wildlife

conflicts include the following: i. A network of protected areas namely, National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering important wildlife habitats have been created all over the country under the provisionsof the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.

ii. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been amended to provide statutory status to management plans of the protected areas, mandating consultations with the concerned Gram Sabha. iii. The Section 11 (1) (a) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, empowers the State Chief Wild Life Wardens to grant permits for hunting animals falling in Schedule I of the Act, which become dangerous to human life.

Further, the Section 11 (1) (b) of the Act empowers State Chief Wild Life Warden or any authorized officer to grant permits for hunting of wild animals falling under Schedule-II of the Act, if such animals have become dangerous to human life or property.

iv. An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued by the Ministry on 6th February, 2021. The Ministry has also issued Guidelines to States/UTs on 3rd June 2022 to manage Human Wildlife conflict including damage to crops. The advisory recommends coordinated interdepartmental action, identification of conflict hot spots, adherence to Standard Operating Procedures, establishment of rapid response teams, formation of State and District level committees to review the quantum of ex-gratia relief for its expeditious payments etc.

v. The Ministry has released species-specific guidelines on 21.03.2023 for mitigation of Human Wildlife conflicts involving Elephant, Gaur, Leopard, Snake, Crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Pig, Bear, Blue Bull and Blackbuck taking a Harmonious Coexistence Approach for addressing human-wildlife conflicts. The Ministry has also issued guidelines for cross cutting issues such as cooperation with media, occupational health and safety in human-wildlife conflict mitigation, crowd management and addressing health emergencies arising out of human-wildlife conflict situations. Moreover, Field Manual for Frontline Staff on Human-Elephant Conflict Management, has also been released by the Ministry. Ministry has also released Guidelines on Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts on Linear Infrastructures on Wildlife.

vi. The Ministry provides financial assistance to State Governments and Union Territory Administrations under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ and ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’ for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country. The activities supported include procurement of early warning systems, construction and erection of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar, powered electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields, compensation for depredation by wild animals including cattle lifting, crop damage, loss of life and property. Rapid Response Teams are also deployed to mitigate Human-Wildlife Conflict including the translocation of wildlife. Further, the Ministry enhanced the amount of ex-gratia relief in case of death or permanent incapacitation due to wild animal attacks in December 2023 from Rs. 5 lakhs to 10 lakhs under these Schemes, subject to availability of funds, and the payment of which is also governed by State specific guidelines/ provisions made in this regard.The details are given in the table below:

Nature of damage caused Amount of ex-gratia relief S. No. by wild animals Death or permanent Rs.10.00 lakhs i. incapacitation Grievous injury Rs.2.00 lakhs ii.

Minor injury Cost of treatment up to Rs.25,000/- per iii. person Loss of property/crops State/UT Government may adhere to iv. the cost norms prescribed by them.

The States/Union Territories make ex-gratia payments for loss of livestock, crops and human life including injuries due to human-wildlife conflicts as per the norms, which vary in States and UTs. vii. Ministry also supports the focused species conservation for the 24 identified critically endangered species namely Snow Leopard, Great Indian Bustard (including Floricans), Dolphin, Hangul, Nilgiri Tahr, Marine Turtles, Dugongs, Edible Nest Swiftlet, Asian Wild Buffalo, Nicobar Megapode, Manipur Brow-Antlered Deer, Vultures, Malabar Civet, Indian Rhinoceros, Asiatic Lion, Swamp Deer, Jerdon’s Courser, Northern River Terrapin, Clouded Leopard, Arabian Sea Humpback Whale, Red Panda, Caracal, Gharial and Sloth Bear under the species recovery programme component of the centrally sponsored scheme of Development of Wildlife Habitats.

viii. Advance technology like radio collaring, digital sensor walls and E- surveillance are also used in human wildlife conflict mitigation. ix. The Ministry provides support to State Governments to organize awareness generation, training and capacity building programmes on human-wildlife conflict. The State Forest Departments work with the local people to address the Human Wildlife Conflict issues through periodic awareness campaigns to sensitize, guide and advise the general public on human- animal conflict including dissemination of information through various forms of media. Further, State Forest Departments engage with local communities to monitor the movement of some wildlife species and to caution local people to avoid human-animal conflict, prevent damage or loss of human life, property and wildlife. The Ministry has also taken an initiative for establishment of the Centre of Excellence for the Human – wildlife Conflict management, at Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), WII -South India Centre at Coimbatore.

x. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India, in accordance with Section 38O (1) (g) of the Wildlife

(Protection) Act, 1972, have identified 32 major tiger corridors in the country. The NTCA Guidelines (2012) and Standard Operating Procedures guide tiger and habitat management. Similarly, the Ministry has also identified 150 elephant corridors in the country in 2023. The Ministry along with the State Governments and UT administrations prepares Regional Action Plan to address the long term conservation and management of elephants in the contiguous landscape.

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