(a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of the loss of farmers crops caused by wild animals in Uttarakhand during the last three years;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government gives compensation to such farmers;
(d) the other remedial measures taken by the Government to protect the crops from wild animals; and
(e) the scheme of the Government to catch such animals in large numbers and to transfer them to protected forests?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (c): The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare does not conduct assessment/study for the value of loss to the field crops by wild animals and stray cattle. The quantum loss of crops destroyed by stray cattle and wild animals are managed by concerned State/Union Territories. As per report of the State Government, Uttarakhand Forest Department has paid compensation to the farmers for their crop loss, by wild animals, as per cost norms prescribed by State Government. The compensation paid in the last four years for the loss of crops is given below.
Year Compensation (in lakhs)
2016-17 10.71
2017-18 78.748
2018-19 94.34
2019-20 59.90 (up to October 2019)
Contd…2/-
-2-
Further, Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare under the revised guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from Rabi 2018-19, states have been given liberty to consider providing add-on coverage for crop loss due to attack by wild animals wherever the risk is perceived to be substantial and identifiable.
(d): Government has taken various steps to prevent and check damage to crops by wild animals in the country as follows:
(i) Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) through its Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) namely `Project Tiger'', ''Project Elephant'' and ''Development of Wildlife Habitats (DWH) provides funds to States and UTs for carrying various activities for habitat improvement works viz., restoration of natural water bodies, creation of artificial ponds, waterholes, augmenting food/fodder sources at various places within Protected Areas to minimize the crop damage.
(ii) The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has approved a project for undertaking ''Immuno¬contraceptive measures'' for population management of wild animals.
(iii) Construction/erecting 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 field.
Besides, State Governments take steps to mitigate the crop damage by wild animals under their schemes.
(e): Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 there are provisions to deal with problematic wild animals, Section 11 &12 of the Act, inter-alia, empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden and authorized officers to take necessary steps to handle problematic wild animals. In context of Elephant, the Gajah Task Force has laid out a set of recommendations for managing conflict which inter-alia include constitution of anti depredation teams, barriers to movement and removal via capture of problematic animals.
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