NEW DELHI, MARCH 16
The Central Government has released a total of Rs 1,010.42 crore for ‘Project Tiger’ and Rs 32 crore for Asiatic Lions in the last three years. The funds were released under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme – ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ (CSS-DWH), Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Babul Supriyo, provided the information in Rajya Sabha on Monday, while replying to a question raised by Parimal Nathwani, member.
According to the statement of the Minister, the Centre released Rs 4.98 crore, Rs 5.59 crore and Rs 21.42 crore in the year 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively under DWH Scheme for Gujarat, which inter-alia include conservation of Asiatic Lions. During the same period, for Project Tiger, the Centre released Rs 342.25 crore, Rs 345 crore and Rs 323.17, respectively.
Nathwani said, “The data of fund released for lion conservation doesn’t include the fund released by the Government of Gujarat. The State Government had sanctioned Rs 350 crore some time back for implementing various initiatives for the long-term conservation of lions in the state. But, the Centre needs to further increase funding for Asiatic Lions as they are found only in Gir and nearby areas of Gujarat, while tigers are spread across multiple states in India and several countries in Asia.”
The statement further says that the Ministry has launched the ‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project’ under the component – Recovery Programme for saving of critically endangered species and habitats of CSS-DWH with a total budget of Rs 97.85 crore from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
While replying to another question by Nathwani, the Minister stated that Asiatic Lion population has increased 45.68% in the last three census, from 359 in 2005 to 523 in 2015, while tiger population has witnessed growth of 73.91% in last three census from 1,706 in 2010 to 2,967 in 2018.
According to the statement of the Minister, to mitigate the wildlife conflict among the linear infrastructure like rail tracks, roads and or highways and power transmission lines passing through the Protected Areas and other wildlife-rich areas, the Ministry has released the guidelines “Eco-Friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of linear infrastructure on Wildlife.” Periodic awareness campaigns are conducted by State Forest Departments to sensitise, guide and advise the general public on man-animal conflict, including dissemination of information through various forms of media, said the statement.
The statement also said that the Ministry has raised the ex gratia rates in connection with wildlife depredation and the compensation amount has been increased to Rs 5 lakh in case of death or permanent incapacitation, Rs 2 lakh for grievous injury and Rs 25,000 for minor injury, while the State/UT governments may adhere to the cost for loss of property/crops.
