Executive Summary:
This document is the response of the Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding human-elephant conflict, specifically in Karnataka and Hassan District. It provides data on fatalities and crop damage, outlines measures taken to mitigate conflict, and describes support provided by the Central Government. The information provided is based on data received from the State of Karnataka. The response was prepared on 11.08.2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Human-Elephant Conflict Data:**
* Details human fatalities in Karnataka and Hassan District from 2020-21 to 2024-25 due to elephant attacks.
* Provides data on crop damage due to elephant raids and compensation paid in Hassan District from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
* **Government Actions and Responsibilities:**
* The State Government/UT Administration is primarily responsible for wildlife management, including mitigating human-elephant conflict (HEC).
* State Forest Departments conduct awareness campaigns and engage with local communities to prevent damage or loss of life and property.
* The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, provides regulatory functions for managing human-wildlife situations.
* **Central Government Support:**
* The Central Government provides financial assistance to States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Project Tiger Elephant (CSS-PTE) for elephant protection, habitat and corridor conservation, HEC mitigation, and welfare of captive elephants.
* The Ministry has ground-validated 150 elephant corridors across 15 states and informed State Governments/UT Administrations to take steps to protect and conserve them.
Impact Analysis:
Stakeholders: State Government/UT Administration
* Impact: Primarily responsible for wildlife management and mitigation of human-elephant conflict.
* Action Required: Work with local people to address HEC issues through awareness campaigns, engage with local communities to prevent damage or loss of life and property, and take necessary steps to protect and conserve elephant corridors.
Stakeholders: Farmers in Hassan District
* Impact: Face crop damage due to elephant raids and receive compensation for losses.
* Action Required: Report crop damage due to elephant raids to the State Forest Department to claim compensation.
Stakeholders: Local Communities
* Impact: Affected by human-elephant conflict, including potential loss of life, property damage, and crop damage.
* Action Required: Participate in awareness campaigns conducted by State Forest Departments, cooperate with authorities to prevent conflict situations, and report incidents of conflict to the relevant authorities.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for environmental protection and climate change.
Shreyas M Patel: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question regarding human-elephant conflict.
Kirti Vardhan Singh: Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, who provided the answer to the question.
Karnataka: A state in India, specifically mentioned due to humanelephant conflict and fatalities, crop damage and compensation paid.
Hassan District, Karnataka: A district in Karnataka, specifically mentioned due to high human-elephant conflict and fatalities.
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: An act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1972 for the protection of plants and animal species.
Project Tiger Elephant: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme for protection of elephants, their habitat and corridors.
Elephant Corridors: Specific routes used by elephants for movement between habitats that are important for their survival and reproduction. 150 corridors across 15 elephant range states have been ground-validated.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3669
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
Human-Elephant Conflict
3669. SHRI SHREYAS M PATEL:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the data of human-elephant conflict and fatalities in Karnataka especially in Hassan
District during the last five years;
(b) whether the Government has conducted or supported any scientific assessment of the
elephant population growth in the said district and if so, the details thereof along with
the current estimated population of the elephants in the said district;
(c) whether any data has been maintained on the extent of crop loss and economic damage
due to elephant raids in this region and if so, the details thereof along with compensation
provided to the affected farmers;
(d) whether the Government is considering inter-state translocation of elephants from
human-dominated areas like Hassan to reduce conflict;
(e) whether the Government has considered allocating a dedicated Elephant Corridor Grant
or extending support under any existing scheme to establish safe and uninterrupted
corridors for elephant movement in these regions, if so, the details thereof and the
timeline for its implementation; and
(f) whether the Government plans to assist Karnataka in creating ideal elephant habitats
within forest reserves by enhancing water sources, planting fodder trees, and
regenerating bamboo to prevent elephants from entering human settlements and if not,
the reasons therefor and whether the Government will consider taking urgent steps in
this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a)to(f) As per the information received from the State of Karnataka, the detail of human
fatalities due to elephant attack in the State of Karnataka and Hassan District during
the last five years is as under:
Year No. of human deaths in No. of Human deaths in
Hassan Karnataka
2020-21 5 26
2021-22 5 28
2022-23 4 32
2023-24 4 48
2024-25 6 36The detail of damage to crops due to elephant raids and the compensation paid in
Hassan District, as per the information received from the State of Karnataka, is given
below:
Year No. of Crop damage due to Compensation paid
elephants
2022-23 4,285 ₹ 2,97,38,199
2023-24 3,641 ₹ 4,07,82,804
2024-25 3,015 ₹ 3,80,30,188
The management of wildlife including mitigation and management of human-elephant
conflict (HEC) is primarily the responsibility of State Government/UT
Administration. The State Forest Departments work with the local people to address
the HEC 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 prevent damage or loss of human life, property and elephants. Further,
the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provides regulatory functions for dealing with
human-wildlife situations.
To reduce human-elephant conflict, compensation is provided to people for loss of
their property and life caused by wild elephants. In addition, the Central Government
also provides financial assistance to State Governments/UTs Administration under the
Centrally Sponsored Scheme Project Tiger & Elephant (CSS-PT&E) for protection of
elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of human-elephant conflict and
welfare of captive elephants in the country.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in coordination with the
State Forest Departments, have ground-validated 150 elephant corridors across 15
elephant range states (i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil
Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal) in India and informed the State
Governments/UT Administrations to take necessary steps to protect and conserve the
elephant corridors.
***