Question : Steps to curb Man-Animal Conflict

(a) the number of wildlife attacks reported during the last three years, State-wise and the reasons for increase in wildlife attacks in the country;
(b) whether the Union Government has received any request from any State Government to schedule wild boars as vermin in the country;
(c) if so, whether the Government will schedule wild boar as a vermin considering its nuisance to the farming fields in many States, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has earmarked adequate funds to deal with the situations effectively, if so, the details of utilization of funds in this regard;
(e) the details of existing elephant corridors in the country;
(f) whether the Government has any proposal to set up new buffer zones around the existing reserve forests in the country, if so, the details thereof;and
(g) whether the Government under the Project Elephant has promoted and supplied usage of technology to mitigate human elephant conflict in the border regions of the States of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and Tamil Nadu, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) Management of forest and wildlife, including mitigation of human-wildlife conflict, is primarily the responsibility of State Governments/UT Administrations. Incidences of human-wildlife conflict have been reported to the Ministry from different parts of the country. As per reports available in the Ministry, details of human deaths due to tiger and elephant attacks are as given at Annexure-I and Annexure II, respectively.

(b) and (c) The Ministry has received request from the State Government of Kerala for declaring wild boar as vermin in the State for a period of one year. After examining the matter, the Ministry has requested the Government of Kerala to consider utilizing the provisions contained in section 11 (1) (b) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Advisory issued by the Ministry on 06.02.2021 to deal with Human Wildlife Conflict in the State.

(d) The Ministry provides financial assistance to States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Elephant’ and ‘Project Tiger’ for conservation and management of wildlife including mitigation of human-animal conflict and voluntary relocation of families from protected areas and tiger reserves for creating inviolate space for wild animals based on the Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) submitted by State/UTs. Details of State/UT-wise funds released under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Elephant’ and ‘Project Tiger’ during the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 are placed at Annexure-III, Annexure-IV and Annexure V.

(e) The Elephant Task Force Report, 2010 titled ‘Gajah’ has identified 27 priority I and 61 priority II elephant corridors. Details of the corridors are given in Annexure VI.

(f) No, sir.

(g) The Ministry provides financial assistance under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of ‘Project Elephant’ to States as per activities proposed in Annual Plans of Operation (APO) to protect elephants, their habitat and corridors to address issues of man-elephant conflict and the welfare of captive elephants. Financial assistance for use of technology such as drones has been provided to the state of Andhra Pradesh.

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