Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses human-wildlife conflicts in India. The Ministry outlines various initiatives, including advisories, guidelines, financial assistance, and legal provisions, to mitigate conflicts and promote coexistence. The initiatives include guidelines issued in February 2021, June 2022 and March 2023.
Key Points / Main Content:
Mitigation Measures:
* An advisory issued in February 2021 recommends coordinated interdepartmental action, identification of conflict hot spots, adherence to Standard Operating Procedures, establishment of rapid response teams and formation of committees for expeditious ex gratia relief payments within 24 hours for death or injury.
* Guidelines issued on June 3, 2022, advise States/UTs to utilize the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) for crop loss due to wild animal attacks, promote crops unpalatable to wild animals in forest fringe areas, and prepare long-term alternate cropping plans.
* Species-specific guidelines issued on March 21, 2023, address conflicts involving elephants, gaur, leopards, snakes, crocodiles, rhesus macaques, wild pigs, bears, blue bulls, and blackbucks.
Financial & Legal Provisions:
* The Central Government provides financial assistance under centrally sponsored schemes for habitat management, compensation for depredation, physical barriers, capacity building, and ex gratia relief.
* States/UTs provide ex gratia payments for loss of livestock, crops, and human life, varying by State.
* The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, allows for the creation of protected areas.
* Section 11 of the Act empowers State Chief Wild Life Wardens to permit hunting of dangerous animals, and Section 33 includes guidelines for protected area management planning.
Capacity Building & Awareness:
* The Ministry supports capacity building for State Forest Department officers through institutions like the Wildlife Institute of India and SACON.
* State Governments/UT Administrations conduct awareness campaigns to educate the public on human-wildlife conflict.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments/Union Territories:
Impact: Required to implement advisories and guidelines for conflict mitigation, including utilizing PMFBY, promoting suitable crops, providing ex gratia relief, and conducting awareness campaigns. They should also form State and District level committees to review the quantum of ex-gratia relief for its expeditious payments.
Action Required: Implement the Ministry's advisories and guidelines, utilize PMFBY, promote suitable crops, provide ex gratia relief, conduct awareness campaigns, and follow management planning guidelines for protected areas.
Local Communities:
Impact: Affected by conflict mitigation efforts and can participate in conflict mitigation efforts.
Action Required: Participate in community engagement programs and cooperate with authorities in implementing conflict mitigation measures.
State Forest Departments:
Impact: Responsible for managing wildlife habitats, implementing conflict mitigation strategies, and providing capacity-building support.
Action Required: Adopt early warning systems, implement modern technologies, and conduct periodic awareness campaigns.
Wildlife:
Impact: Conservation of their habitats through the creation of protected areas.
Action Required: No action required.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and conservation.
SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN: The Member of Parliament who raised the question about human-wildlife conflict in Lok Sabha.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change who provided the answer in Lok Sabha.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY): A government-sponsored crop insurance scheme in India to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop losses due to natural calamities or disasters.
Wildlife Institute of India: An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, dedicated to wildlife research, training, and management.
SACON: Likely refers to Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, an institution involved in ornithology and natural history research and education.
Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: An act of the Parliament of India enacted to protect wild animals, birds and plants.
Project Tiger and Elephant: Centrally Sponsored Schemes by the Central Government for the management and conservation of tigers and elephants and their habitats respectively.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
Management of Human-Wildlife Conflicts
2. SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased
to state:
(a) the current status of human-wildlife conflicts in the country, including the number
of reported incidents and economic losses incurred during the last three years and
the current year;
(b) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government to mitigate human-wildlife
conflicts, including any specific strategies or action plans implemented in this
regard;
(c) the details of the challenges faced in effectively managing human-wildlife conflicts,
particularly in terms of resources and community engagement;
(d) the role of local communities in conflict mitigation efforts and any programmes has
been established to involve them; and
(e) whether any measures taken/being taken to educate the communities about wildlife
conservation and promote coexistence and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (e) Incidences of human-wildlife conflict have been reported from various parts of
the country. Such data are not collated at the level of Ministry. The important
steps taken by the Government to manage and mitigate the human-wildlife
conflicts are as follows:
i. An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued by
the Ministry in February 2021. 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, issuing
guidance and instructions for expedited relief payments, preferably
within 24 hours to the affected persons, in the case of death and injury
to persons.ii. The Ministry has also issued guidelines to States and UTs on 3rd June
2022 on managing human-wildlife conflicts including damage to crops.
The guidelines advise States/UTs to utilize the Pradhan Mantri Fasal
Bima Yojna (PMFBY). Uner the revamped operational guidelines of
PMFBY, States/UTs may provide add-on coverage for crop loss due to
attack by wild animals. Further,it includes promotion of crops in forest
fringe areas which are unpalatable to wild animals, agro forestry models
which include cash crops like chillies, lemon grass, khus grass etc.
suitably mixed with tree/shrub species. It also includes preparation and
implementation of comprehensive long-term plan for alternate cropping
by the State Agriculture/Horticulture Department under different
schemes in vulnerable areas.
iii. The Ministry has also issued species-specific guidelines to deal with
human-wildlife conflict situations 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.
iv. The Central Government provides financial assistance to State/Union
Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes,
‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ and ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’ for
management of wildlife and its habitat including support for broad
activities like-compensation for depredation by wild animals and
construction of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar
powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary wall etc to
prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields, capacity building and
also provides ex gratia relief to the victims of human-wildlife conflicts.
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 from State to State.
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 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.
vii. In accordance with provisions contained under Section 33 of the Wild
Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the Ministry has issued guidelines for theprocess of management planning for protected areas and other landscape
elements.
viii. The Ministry also provides capacity-building support to the officers and
staff of State Forest Departments through institutions, e.g. Wildlife
Institute of India-SACON for adoption of early-warning systems and
modern technologies.
ix. Periodic awareness campaigns to sensitize guide and advise the general
public on human-wildlife conflict, including dissemination of
information through various forms of media is carried out by the
respective State Governments/Union Territory Administrations.
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