Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses a Lok Sabha question regarding human-animal conflict, detailing state-wise casualties from tiger and elephant attacks over the last five years. It outlines the government's measures to protect wildlife, mitigate conflicts, and promote coexistence through financial assistance, advisories, species-specific guidelines and legal provisions under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **State/UT Government Responsibilities:**
* Management of wildlife and mitigation of human-animal conflicts is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State/UT.
* **Financial Assistance:**
* The Central Government provides financial assistance to State/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, for wildlife and habitat management, including conflict mitigation.
* Supported activities include physical barriers (solar fences, biofencing, boundary walls) and ex gratia relief to victims of human-wildlife conflicts.
* **Guidelines and Advisories:**
* An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict was issued in February 2021.
* Guidelines on managing human-wildlife conflicts, including crop damage, were issued to State/UTs on June 3, 2022.
* Species-specific guidelines to deal with human-wildlife conflict situations were issued on March 21, 2023.
* **Legal Provisions:**
* Section 11(1)(a) of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, allows State/UT Chief Wild Life Wardens to permit hunting of Schedule I animals dangerous to human life.
* Section 11(1)(b) allows permits for hunting Schedule II animals dangerous to human life or property.
* **Protected Areas and Corridors:**
* A network of protected areas (National Parks, Sanctuaries, etc.) has been created to conserve wild animals and habitats.
* The NTCA and WII have identified 32 major tiger corridors. NTCA Guidelines 2012 and SOPs guide tiger and habitat management.
* The Ministry has identified 150 elephant corridors in 2023 and initiated Regional Action Plans for elephant conservation with State/UTs.
* **Casualty Data:**
* Annexure I provides state-wise details of human deaths due to tiger attacks from 2020-2024.
* Annexure II provides state-wise details of human deaths due to elephant attacks from 2019-20 to 2023-24.
Impact Analysis:
* **State/UT Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for managing wildlife and mitigating human-animal conflicts within their jurisdictions. They can receive financial assistance from the Central Government for these activities.
* *Action Required:* Implement central guidelines and advisories, utilize financial assistance effectively, enforce legal provisions of the Wild Life Protection Act, and participate in regional action plans for elephant conservation.
* **Local Communities in Conflict Zones:**
* *Impact:* Face risks from wildlife encounters, including potential for injury, death, and property damage. Affected by the effectiveness of state and central mitigation efforts.
* *Action Required:* Follow advisories and guidelines provided by state and central governments, report incidents of human-wildlife conflict to relevant authorities, and take necessary precautions to minimize risks.
* **Wildlife:**
* *Impact:* Affected by habitat management practices, conservation efforts, and legal provisions related to hunting and protection.
* *Action Required:* No direct action required; however, the effectiveness of conservation efforts and the enforcement of protection laws are crucial for their well-being.
Key Entities Referenced
SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question regarding Human-Animal Conflict.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: Indian legislation providing for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants; cited in the context of empowering State/UT Chief Wild Life Wardens and creation of protected areas.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, responsible for tiger conservation in India.
Wildlife Institute of India: An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, involved in wildlife research and training.
Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats: Centrally Sponsored Scheme providing financial assistance to State/UT Governments for wildlife management including mitigation of human-wildlife conflict.
Assam: One of the states mentioned with reported human deaths due to tiger and elephant attacks.
West Bengal: One of the states mentioned with reported human deaths due to tiger and elephant attacks.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2378
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
Human-Animal Conflict
2378. SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the names of top five States that have recorded the highest number of human-
wildlife conflict incidents during the last three years, including the number of
human and animal casualties reported in each State;
(b) the details of primary wildlife species involved in these conflicts and whether
these incidents correlate with patterns of habitat fragmentation, deforestation, or
land-use change;
(c) the key steps taken to safeguard both local communities and wildlife in conflict
zones;
(d) whether the Government is working on ecological restoration, wildlife corridors,
or rehabilitation to address the root causes and support animal welfare and if so,
the details thereof; and
(e) the details of any long-term assessments or expert consultations conducted to
guide sustainable human-wildlife coexistence?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (e) Management of wildlife including mitigation of human-animal conflicts
is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/Union
Territory administration. As per the information received from the
State/UT Governments, the details of loss of human over the last five
years due to attack by tigers and elephants are provided at Annexure-I
and Annexure-II.The common species involved in these conflicts are
Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Black Buck, Bear, Crocodile, Indian Gaur,
Indian Porcupine, Wild Boar, Nilgai and snakes.
The important steps taken by the Government for protection of wildlife
and to address human-wildlife conflict are as follows: -
i. The Central Government provides financial assistance to StateGovernments/Union Territory Administrations under the Centrally
Sponsored Schemes, ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’
for management of wildlife and its habitat including management of
human-wildlife conflict in the country. The activities supported
under the schemes include construction/erection of physical barriers
such as solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary walls etc.
to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields, payment of ex-
gratia relief to the victims of human-wildlife conflicts.
ii. An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued
by the Ministry in February 2021. The Ministry has also issued
guidelines to State Governments/Union Territory Administrationson
3rd June, 2022 on managing human-wildlife conflicts including
damage to crops.
iii. The Ministry has also issued species-specific guidelines to deal with
human-wildlife conflict situations on 21.03.2023.
iv. The Section 11 (1) (a) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972,
empowers the State/UT 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/UT 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.
v. A network of protected areas namely, National Parks, Sanctuaries,
Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering important
wildlife habitat have been created all over the country under the
provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild
animals and their habitats.
vi. 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 has initiated the preparation of Regional Action Plan
to address the long term conservation and management of elephants
in the contiguous landscape.
****ANNEXURE -I
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question
No. 2378 due for reply on 04.08.2025 regarding “Human-animal conflict”.
The details of human deaths during last five years due to tiger attacks, year-wise and
State-wise
S. State 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
No.
1 Assam 0 0 0 0 4
2 Bihar 1 4 9 1 2
3 Chhattisgarh 0 0 0 3 0
4 Jharkhand 0 0 0 0 0
5 Karnataka 0 1 1 8 2
6 Kerala 2 0 0 0 0
7 Madhya Pradesh 11 2 3 10 6
8 Maharashtra 25 32 82 37 42
9 Mizoram 0 0 0 0 0
10 Odisha 0 0 0 0 0
11 Rajasthan 0 0 0 0 0
12 Tamil Nadu 1 3 0 1 0
13 Telangana 2 0 0 0 1
14 Uttar Pradesh 4 11 11 25 10
15 Uttarakhand 0 1 3 0 5
16 West Bengal 5 5 1 0 1
Total 51 59 110 85 73ANNEXURE -II
Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question
No. 2378 due for reply on 04.08.2025 regarding “Human-animal conflict”.
The details of human deaths during last five years due to elephant attacks, year-wise and
State-wise
S. No. State 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
1 Andhra Pradesh 4 6 4 5 6
2 Arunachal Pradesh 0 2 2 0 0
3 Assam 75 91 63 80 74
4 Chhattisgarh 77 42 64 69 51
5 Jharkhand 84 74 133 96 87
6 Karnataka 30 26 27 29 48
7 Kerala 12 20 25 22 23
8 Maharashtra 1 0 0 2 5
9 Meghalaya 4 6 3 3 7
10 Nagaland 0 0 0 1 1
11 Odisha 117 93 112 148 154
12 Tamil Nadu 58 57 37 43 61
13 Tripura 2 1 2 2 1
14 Uttar Pradesh 6 1 0 4 4
15 Uttarakhand 9 13 12 4 8
16 West Bengal 116 47 77 97 99
Total 595 479 561 605 629