Estimates of population of major
wild animals indicate that there has been an increase in number of animals. The
number of Asiatic lions has increased from 304 in 1995 to 523 in 2015, Tiger has
increased from 1411 in 2006 to 2226 in 2014 and the Elephants from 25569 in
1993 to 29391-30711 in 2012.
Incidences of loss of human lives
and damage to crops by wild animals are reported in various parts of the
country from time to time. As such data of such incidents are not collated in
the Ministry. However, the reports received from the States in National Tiger
Conservation Authority and Project Elephant indicate the following data on
human death due to Tiger and Elephant.
|
Tiger
|
Elephant
|
2012-13
|
22
|
371
|
2013-14
|
24
|
335
|
2014-15
|
26
|
63
|
Current Year
|
Not available
|
Not available
|
Total
|
72
|
769
|
Degradation of the habitat including, depletion
of water and food availability is considered some of the reasons for wild
animals to come out of its natural habitat.
Wildlife management
primarily focuses on improvement of habitats of wild animals by augmenting the
availability of food and water in forest areas to reduce the entry of animals
from forests to habitations.
The Central Government
provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally
Sponsored Schemes of 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project
Tiger' and ’Project Elephant', for augmenting their efforts for management
of wildlife and their habitats.
The assistance is also
provided to the States for payment of ex-gratia relief, management
of wildlife conflict situations and construction/erection of physical barriers,
such as barbed wire fence, solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary
walls etc. wherever feasible. In many parts of the country, anti-depredation squads
have also been set up to drive away problematic animals.
Keeping in view the losses to crops
inflicted by the wild animals, this Ministry, on 24th
December, 2014 issued an advisory to the States highlighting the legal
provisions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to deal with the
human-wildlife conflict situations. Vide this advisory, Ministry has also sought
proposals from State/Union Territory Governments, after objective assessment of
the situation with details of the areas in which notification under section 62
of the Act, declaring any wild animals as vermin for specified period, could be
helpful in management of conflict. The same advisory has also been sent to the
Chief Minister’s and Environment and Forest Minister’s of all the States/Union
Territory Governments and also to all the Council of Minister’s in the
Government of India.
Further, Ministry has also issued a detailed
advisory on 1st June, 2015 to the State/Union Territory Governments
regarding the priority actions for management of human wildlife conflict. The
State/UT Governments have been requested to institute a ‘Human Wildlife
Management Strategy’ along with other suggested measures for the proper
management and prevention of human wildlife conflict situations.
This information was
given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar, in Rajya Sabha today.
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HK