Question : Elephant Menace

(a) whether there are reports of rampaging elephants and other wild animals causing loss of life and damage to property and crops in the country including Jharkhand;
(b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
(c) the amount and rate of compensation paid in this regard along with the number of beneficiaries during the said period, State-wise;
(d) whether the Government proposes to revise the rate of compensation being paid to victims and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the measures being taken by the Government to check the menace caused by wild animals including elephants in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (c) Yes sir, reports of damage to properties and crops as well as loss of human lives by elephants and other wild animals are received from various parts of the country, from time to time. The compensation to victims of wildlife depredation in case of loss of crops and properties, is as per official assessment of the damage caused. An ex-gratia amount of Rs. two lakhs is paid by Central Government in case of human deaths. State-wise details of damage due to elephant depredation and compensation paid to victims during the last three years are given in Annexure I (A), I (B) and I(C). The data in respect of other wildlife is not maintained in the Ministry
(d) There is no proposal at present to revise the rate of compensation being paid to victims of wildlife depredation.

(e) Steps undertaken by the Government to check the menace caused by wild animals are given below:

(i) Financial and technical assistance is provided to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat’, ‘Project Tiger’ and ‘Project Elephant’, augmenting their efforts for management of wildlife and their habitats.
(ii) Improvement of Protected Areas, Tiger Reserves and Elephant Reserves.
(iii) Regular and extensive patrolling of forest areas and anti poaching measures by frontline filed staff of the State Forest Departments.
(iv) Trainings and awareness camps are organised regularly for local people for conservation of wildlife.
(v) Local communities are organised into Joint Forest Management Committees/Eco-development Committees for protection of wildlife habitat, including elephant corridors.
(vi) Habitat improvement and eco-restoration is taken up in critical areas of tiger reserve, elephant reserves and corridors.


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