my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 18 Dec: The Union Government has expressed serious concern regarding wildlife attacks and is extending all possible assistance through state governments to mitigate the issue. BJP’s State President and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt had raised the matter of wild animal attacks in Uttarakhand within the Rajya Sabha. Under Supplementary Question 208, he had sought detailed information from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
In response, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that reports of human-wildlife conflict are received periodically from various parts of the country, including the state of Uttarakhand. These conflicts involve various wild animals, including bears and leopards. However, the Minister clarified that the management of wildlife, including the mitigation of human-animal conflict, remains primarily the responsibility of the respective state governments and Union Territory administrations. It is the state governments and UT administrations that initiate the first line of action in instances of human-wildlife conflict.
Yadav added that the Union Ministry provides financial assistance to the state governments and the Union Territory administrations for the management of wildlife and their habitats under the centrally sponsored schemes ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ and ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’. The assistance is provided also for procurement of early warning systems and the construction and for installation of physical barriers such as barbed wire fencing, solar-powered electric fencing, bio-fencing, and boundary walls to prevent wild animals from entering cultivated fields. The support also covers compensation for damage caused by wild animals, including cattle lifting, crop damage, and loss of life or property. Quick Response Teams are also deployed to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Furthermore, it was also stated that the Ministry has increased the ex-gratia amount for death or permanent disability resulting from wild animal attacks from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs in December 2023, subject to the availability of funds. The payment of this amount is governed by the state-specific guidelines and provisions established in this regard. According to the nature of the damage caused by wild animals, the assistance provided includes Rs 10 lakhs for death or permanent disability, Rs 2 lakhs for serious injury, and Rs 25,000 for minor injury. In cases of property or crop loss, state governments have been authorised to take action under their own respective rules.
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