Parliament Question: Management of Invasive Flora and Fauna in Urban Areas

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3782 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 Management of Invasive Flora and Fauna in Urban Areas 3782. SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has comprehensively assessed the ecological and health impacts of invasive alien species like Conocarpus, particularly regarding groundwater depletion, infrastructure damage and respiratory allergies; (b) the current status of advisories issued to States to ban Conocarpus and prioritize native biodiversity in urban afforestation; (c) the initiatives taken to restore urban green belts with indigenous fruit-bearing trees to prevent wildlife migration into residential colonies; (d) the funds released to States under the ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ scheme for urban wildlife conflict mitigation during the last three years and the current year, year-wise; (e) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the monkey menace in urban sprawls, causing incidents of human-wildlife conflict and public safety risks; and (f) the specific details of scientific population control measures, such as immunocontraception, being deployed to manage simian populations? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) and (b): In accordance with the provisions contained under Section 33 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the Ministry has issued guidelines for the management planning for Protected Areas and other landscape elements. These guidelines also envisage incorporating prescriptions for eradication of invasive alien species in management plans of protected areas. Further, the Government of India has issued a comprehensive national advisory in August 2025 on the basis of report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on this issue. All States and Union Territories have been asked to stop the plantation of Conocarpus (Buttonwood) species with immediate effect. As on January 2026, prohibitory orders have already been enforced by the governments of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana whereas other States have also incorporated these prohibitory orders into their municipal bylaws. The Government has also streamlined the afforestation activities across the country through the implementation of the Nagar Van Yojana and the revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2024-2030. These guidelines also mandate the implementation of a "Native-First" policy for urban afforestation activities. Some of the newly afforested areas needto be covered with indigenous species like Neem (Azadirachta indica), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Jamun (Syzygium cumini), etc. thus avoiding alien species. (c) to (f): The incidences of human-wildlife conflict including monkey menace have been reported from various parts of the country. The management of wildlife including the mitigation of human-wildlife conflict is primarily the responsibility of the concerned States/UTs. The scientific management of wild animal populations, including monkeys listed in the Schedules appended to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, is regularly carried out by the concerned State and Union Territory Governments in accordance with the provisions of the said Act. The Ministry provides financial assistance to State Governments & Urban Territory Administration under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ for the management of wildlife and its habitats in the country. It includes compensation for depredation by wild animals including cattle lifting, crop damage, loss of life and property. The details of fund released under the scheme in last three year is provided at Annexure-I. ***ANNEXURE-I Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (f) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3782 regarding “Management of Invasive Flora and Fauna in Urban Areas” for reply on 16.03.2026 Details of funds released to State/ UT Governments under CSS-‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ during last Five years. (₹. in lakhs) S. Name of 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 No States/UTs (as on . 11.03.2026) 1 A& N Islands 135.77 25.125 0 0 0 2 Arunachal 419.80617 276.44062 672.462 1044.819 1032.59 Pradesh 3 Assam 0 209.1464 565.10763 1234.4652 695.16 4 Bihar 410.85952 0 336.37223 0 0 5 Chandigarh 0 21.6241 16.498 0 0 6 Chhattisgarh 274.5903 104.457 116.24868 135.58248 11.90 7 Goa 0 0 50.10 66.44425 0 8 Gujarat 0 200.01 206.99 801.58248 348 9 Haryana 127.331 30.1575 167.85 232.9722 96.12 10 Himachal 197.09452 114.3205 94.15328 172.31067 72.83 Pradesh 11 Jharkhand 79.53315 0 14.91025 71.93619 0 12 Karnataka 1256.59314 291.71146 581.52346 800.8205 292.79 13 Kerala 295.7737 224.4735 921.0361 909.63915 320.80 14 Madhya 389.34906 265.5508 471.81959 740.89064 274.10 Pradesh 15 Maharashtra 0 350.3879 554.69645 622.0670 497.72 16 Manipur 142.50646 180.64379 231.72407 261.70605 0 17 Meghalaya 530.51253 0 243.56611 389.5938 0 18 Mizoram 198.9678 190.1977 304.207 344.3258 269.71 19 Nagaland 342.0315 725.6565 1306.3275 1490.04 998.90 20 Odisha 726.80273 967.4976 1005.08612 1108.46011 312.02 21 Rajasthan 1007.64845 86.78886 0 0 336.62 22 Sikkim 182.97174 239.66048 187.03237 221.17 250.99 23 Tamil Nadu 390.75715 132.95205 373.8902 661.78722 237.27 24 Uttar Pradesh 169.06261 266.7472 290.64425 393.86725 0 25 Uttarakhand 226.34415 212.9662 498.497 652.470665 280.14 26 West Bengal 757.25599 201.30866 385.29988 183.14895 417.63 27 Puducherry 0 0 5.22 0 0 28 Lakshadweep 462.086 269.9055 124.655 217.185 0 29 Ladakh UT 31.95 61.11591 6.00 0 0 Grand Total 8755.59767 5648.84523 9731.91717 12757.284605 6745.29 *Allocation to few states/Union Territories could not be done since no proposal was received from them.