(a) the number of minor and major Elephant Corridors around mining areas in the country including Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundergarh districts in Odisha; and
(b) the effect of mining on these Corridors and the details of precautionary steps taken by the Government for the safety of these Corridors around mining areas?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)
(a) to (b)A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *106 REGARDING ‘ELEPHANT CORRIDORS IN ODISHA’ DUE FOR REPLY ON 25.07.2022
(a)The Elephant Task Force Report, 2010 titled ‘Gajah’ has identified 27 priority I and 61 priority II elephant corridors in the country including Odisha. The details are given in Annexure.
(b)The management of wildlife habitats including elephant corridors is primarily the responsibility of State Governments/UT Administrations. In case forest land falling in any wildlife habitat is diverted for mining or any other developmental use, Wildlife Management Plan and/or wildlife mitigation plan are prepared and implemented by the respective State Government, and protection and conservation measures are also taken accordingly.
In addition, the following measures taken by Ministry also help in protecting elephant corridors:-
(i) The Ministry provides financial and technical assistance to States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes ‘Project Elephant’ for protection and conservation of elephants and their habitats in the country.
(ii) The report “Gajah” of the Elephant Task Force constituted by the Ministry have identified critical elephant corridors in the country and suggested the following points for securing the elephant corridors.
a. Creation of Community or Conservation Reserve,
b. Declaring the corridor as high priority Ecologically Sensitive, Area under Environment Protection Act 1986 with maximum regulation of ecologically destructive activity,
c. Declaring corridor land as Reserved Forest or Protected Forest under Indian Forest Act,
d. Community forests under the Forest Rights Act,
e. Increase boundary of existing Protected Area and make corridor part of the existing Protected Area.
(iii) The Ministry had requested the State Governments/UT Administrations to assess the feasibility of protecting elephant corridors.
(iv) Critical elephant habitats are notified as ‘Elephant Reserve’ for focus and synergy in elephant conservation and to reduce conflict. The notification is carried out with the approval of Steering Committee formed in the Ministry. So far 31 Elephant Reserves have been established in 14 major elephant States. Approval has been accorded for notification of 32nd Elephant Reserve in the State of Tamil Nadu.
(v) Report on Land-Use and Land- Cover Classification of Elephant Reserves in Odisha has been prepared by the Ministry and forwarded to the State on 13th January, 2022.
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