(a) whether the Union Government are aware that more than 12,000 open wells exist in Gir Forests endangering the lives of lions and other wild animals;
(b) if so, whether the Union Government have directed the State Government to cover the wells around Gir which have turned to be death traps for lions and other animals; and
(c) if so, the progress made in this regard so far?
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T.R. BAALU)
(a),(b) & (c) Wells are dug by villagers in and around Gir Protected area to overcome the shortage of water during lean months. Most of these wells do not have parapet walls and as a result occasionally there have been reports of wild animals falling into such wells. Under the India Eco-Development project supported by the Central Government, the park authorities have constructed parapet walls around 505 open wells during the period from April, 1999 to July, 2002 to prevent such accidents.