Indian Government’s 14 Guidelines to Address Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC)

 Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a critical issue in India, where the coexistence of humans and wild animals is necessary. HWC is defined as the negative impact of the interaction between humans and wildlife on either or both parties. To address this issue, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav released 14 guidelines to facilitate a common understanding among key stakeholders on what constitutes effective and efficient mitigation of HWC in India.

Species-specific guidelines

Ten species-specific guidelines for mitigating conflict with elephants, gaur, leopard, snake, crocodile, rhesus macaque, wild pig, bear, blue bull, and blackbuck were released. These guidelines will help develop site-specific HWC mitigation measures.

Cross-cutting issue guidelines

In addition, there are four guidelines on cross-cutting issues, including cooperation between the forest and media sector, occupational health and safety, crowd management, and addressing health emergencies.

Harmonious-coexistence approach

The guidelines aim to ensure the harmonious coexistence of humans and wild animals. They take into consideration the existing guidelines and advisories issued by various agencies and state forest departments, as well as good practices and experiences from the field.

Holistic approach

The guidelines provide a framework to take a holistic approach to address HWC. This includes addressing the drivers and pressures that lead to HWC, establishing and managing prevention methods, and reducing the impact of conflict on both humans and wild animals.

Participatory and inclusive approach

The development of the guidelines followed a participatory, inclusive, and integrated approach involving key relevant stakeholders and sectors, including agriculture, veterinary, disaster management, district administration, rural development and Panchayati Raj Institutions, NGOs, and media. Over 1600 participants were involved in 105 events, workshops, consultations, meetings, and field missions.

Living document

The set of guidelines is not static but rather a living document that will be reviewed every five years from 2023 onwards. Feedback from field practitioners and other wildlife experts will be analyzed to assess specific elements and sections that need to undergo changes.

Source: https://www.gktoday.in/topic/indian-governments-14-guidelines-to-address-human-wildlife-conflict-hwc/

Economic & Political Weekly: Table of Contents

 

Vol. 58, Issue No. 12, 25 Mar, 2023

Editorials

A Plea for Marriage Equality

Run on the Banks

From the Editor's Desk

Personalisation of Democratic Politics

From 50 Years Ago

From 50 Years Ago- Bangkok: The Insurgency Equation

Strategic Affairs

The Changing Geostrategic Landscape - China in West Asia and Beyond

Anuradha M Chenoy

Budget 2023-24

An Introduction and Overview

Pinaki Chakraborty

Independent Fiscal Councils - Lapdogs or Watchdogs?

Y V Reddy, Pinaki Chakraborty

Electoral Cycle and the Union Budget 2023–24 - Some Departures from the Past?

Ashok K Lahiri

Concerns about Balancing Growth and Stability

M Govinda Rao

Union Budget 2023–24 - The Long View

Ashima Goyal

Massive Capital Expenditure, Modest Fiscal Consolidation, and Cut in Pillars of Social Safety Net

Sudipto Mundle, Ajaya Sahu

Balancing Growth with Fiscal Consolidation

D K Srivastava

The Union Budget 2023–24 and the Financial Sector - The Devil May Lie in the Details

Partha Ray

Agriculture and Rural Areas in Budget 2023–24 - A Need for Comprehensive Approach for Transformation

S Mahendra Dev

Book Reviews

The Half-truth Pill

Anant Phadke

Understanding the Critical Issues Shaping the Politics of Assam and North East

Parvin Sultana

Special Articles

Income Inequality in Indian States

Anupam Tyagi

The Role of Social Norms in the Receipt of Direct Benefit Transfers - Its Impact on Women at the Household Level

Aparajita Singh, Damini Mohan, Kansihkaa Chopra, Rahul Chatterjee, Anurodh Giri

Current Statistics

Current Statistics

Postscript

‘The Drought’ - An Allegory of Human Needs

Jyotsana Singh, Sumit Chatterjee

​​​​​​​The Magic of Reclaiming Power

Titash Sen

Ocean: The Home of My Tribe

Shahdab Perumal

Last Lines

Letters

E-rupee: A Success Story in the Making

Md Gyasuddin Ansari

Reservations and Karnataka Assembly Elections

Darshan B M

Current Affairs- March 24, 2023

 

INDIA

• Tamil Nadu Assembly re-adopts Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill.
• One World TB Summit is being organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Stop TB Partnership, on World Tuberculosis Day.
• One tigress each to be released to Kota’s Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve and Bundi’s Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.
• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the State Youth Policy and a Youth Portal.
• Konkan 2023, a joint maritime exercise, was conducted between the Royal Navy of Britain and the Indian Navy, off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea.
• National Institute of Urban Affairs is organising first Urban Climate Film Festival under U20 engagement events.
• The Defence Ministry signed two contracts with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), at a total cost of over ₹3,700 crore for ‘Arudhra’ Medium Power Radars.

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

• Union Finance ministry asks public sector banks to share bond portfolio data.
• FSIB recommends Siddhartha Mohanty for the position of chairperson of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).
• Amazon’s accelerator programme to support 50 Indian D2C (direct-to-consumer) startups.
• Lok Sabha passes Rs 45 trillion Budget for current fiscal without debate.

WORLD

• Protests intensify in France over government’s plan to raise pension age.
• Islamic holy month of Ramzan begins across world; Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated at the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan.
• UNESCO report: 26 % of world’s population does not have safe drinking water.

SPORTS

• Boxing: Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Saweety Boora and Nitu Ghanghas have entered the finals in the Women’s World Boxing Championships.
• India won a silver and a bronze in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup shooting championship.
• India clinches both men’s and women’s titles of Asian Kho Kho Championship.

Current Affairs-March 25, 2023

 

INDIA

• Ujjwala Yojana: Union Cabinet extends subsidy of 200 rupees per cylinder for 12 refills annually for beneficiaries for one year.
• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha after conviction in criminal defamation case.
• Project Himshakti: Defence Ministry signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited BEL Hyderabad for the procurement of two Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems.
• Tamil Nadu releases the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Plan, 2023.
• Andhra Pradesh passes resolution to provide SC status for Dalit Christians.
• ICMR releases ethical guidelines for AI usage in healthcare
• Karnataka scraps reservation of 4% given to Muslims and distributed it to two dominant communities Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas.

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

• Cabinet approves 4 % hike of Dearness Allowance to Central government employees.
• The first meeting of the Trade and Investment Working Group, under India’s G20 Presidency, will be held in Mumbai
• The government has scrapped the long-term capital gains treatment (with indexation benefits) for income from debt mutual funds.
• Government raised the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on futures and options contracts in the stock market by 25%.

WORLD

• Sri Lanka decides to divest stake in seven state-owned enterprises.
• The U.S. military carried out multiple air strikes in Syria against Iran-aligned groups.
• On World Tuberculosis Day, WHO called for intensified actions to eradicate the disease in the South East Asia region.
• Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that there will be a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on joint official statements.

SPORTS

• India’s Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil wins bronze medal in 10m Air Rifle event of ISSF World Cup Shooting Championship.

Current Affairs- March 26, 2023

 

INDIA

• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launches Aravalli Green Wall Project in Gurugram.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launches LVM3-M3/Oneweb India-2 Mission in Sriharikota.
• National Science Centre organizes Innovation Festival to promote passion and aptitude for science and technology.
• Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opens Leh-Manali Highway in a record 138 days
• Parliamentary panel urges govt to frame a comprehensive national EV policy, extend FAME-II incentives by 2 years

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

• IMF sets another condition for crisis-hit Pakistan to revive loan
• MGNREGS wages raised by up to 10.4% for FY24; In absolute terms, the daily wages have been raised in the ₹7-26 range.
• India and US ink MoU on semiconductor supply chain, innovation partnership.
• Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill with key amendments without discussion.

WORLD

• Russian President Vladimir Putin announces plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
• Over 26 persons were killed in a tornado in several towns of Mississippi in US.
• World observes annual Earth Hour to raise awareness about climate change.
• Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel and creator of Moore’s Law, dies at 94.
• UAE Food Bank launches initiative to eradicate food waste and distribute 3 million meals during Ramadan.

SPORTS

• Swiss Open: Indian Men’s Doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty enter into finals.
• In Women’s Premier League Cricket, Delhi Capitals will face Mumbai Indians in the summit clash.

Current Affairs- March 27, 2023

 

INDIA

• Centre reduces disturbed areas under AFSPA from three North-eastern states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur.
• Four astronauts selected for India’s first Human Space Flight Programme, Gaganyaan completed the first semester of crew training.
• Second Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting to begin at Gandhinagar.
• First Delhi-Dharamshala-Delhi Indigo Flight was flagged off; 2-phase plan for expansion of Dharamshala airport underway.

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

• India’s Net direct tax growth for 2022-23 to slow to 15%; including corporate income tax, personal income tax and the securities transaction tax (STT).
• Union government caps the maximum rate of GST compensation cess on pan masala, cigarettes and other forms of tobacco.

WORLD

• Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu fires Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, after speech to stop proposed judicial overhaul.
• People joined Hong Kong’s first authorised protest since the lifting of major COVID norms under strict rules.
• North Korea test-fires 2 more missiles as U.S. sends carrier; the launches were the North’s seventh missile event this month.

SPORTS

• Mumbai Indians lift inaugural Women’s Premier League trophy beating Delhi Capitals.
• India wins four gold medals in the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi.
• India’s men’s doubles badminton pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty win Swiss Open Super 300 Badminton doubles title in Basel

Food supply chains must be reimagined to end hunger

 Food wastage is an issue of concern in both developing and developed countries. Food wastage occurs more at the retail and consumer end in developed countries. In developing countries, post-harvest and processing losses are more prominent.

Nearly one in ten people worldwide suffers from hunger. Goal 2 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to end hunger, but we are failing in our efforts. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), eight per cent of the world population will continue to suffer from hunger in 2030, the target year for achieving the zero-hunger goal. The world population suffering from hunger in 2015, when these goals were adopted, was also eight per cent.

Armed conflicts, climate change and Covid-19 are some key factors behind failing efforts to combat global hunger. With more than 800 million people going to bed on an empty stomach, the basic tenets of humanity are under question. The global hunger crisis is not due to lack of supply or food unavailability but is largely an issue of price, purchasing power and food wastage. The FAO estimates that one-third of the total food produced on the planet ends up in a landfill.

Food wastage is an issue of concern in both developing and developed countries. Food wastage occurs more at the retail and consumer end in developed countries. In developing countries, post-harvest and processing losses are more prominent. Wasting food is an ethical concern since large number of people suffer from hunger worldwide. It is also a key contributor to the global hunger crisis and is detrimental to environment and climate.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is more food in landfills than any other single material. Food scraps do not easily degrade in landfills and get tightly compacted creating anaerobic conditions around them. In the absence of oxygen, the degrading food waste releases methane which is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) more dangerous than carbon dioxide. The global warming potential of methane is several times that of carbon dioxide.

According to the FAO, GHG emissions caused by food waste account for about eight per cent of total anthropogenic GHG emissions. If food loss and wastage were a country, it would be the third largest GHG emitting country in the world. The food and agriculture industry consumes nearly 35 per cent of global freshwater and more than 30 per cent cropland. Large volumes of harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides are sprayed on crops and soil for producing food.

In India, where close to 60 per cent land is under agriculture, food production contributes significantly to soil and water pollution. The groundwater table in the North Indian states of Punjab and Haryana has declined significantly due to intensive agriculture. Conflicts over water resources to meet agricultural demand are on the rise across India. Wasting one plate of food means wasting all the natural resources and efforts that have gone into producing it.

Despite these concerns, India is a large food waste generating country. According to the UN’s Food Waste Index report 2021, India wastes 68.8 tonnes of food every year. The Global Hunger Index 2022, although disputed by the Government on methodology, ranks India at 107 out of 121 countries. There is a need for reimagining food supply and accessibility since the current food system is not working for everyone.

Food supply chains in India need to be designed on the principles of circular economy beginning with the 3Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle. Food wastage at production level must be reduced by organising operations efficiently. Food industry standards need to be strengthened to minimize waste generation at all levels. Municipal agencies must lead awareness to prevent food wastage across cities and towns.

Reusing surplus edible food is critical for preventing food wastage. Pioneering initiatives by civil society organisations are needed to create platforms for redistributing surplus food. Government and municipal agencies can help by making feeding the hungry a priority. Donating extra edible food helps save resources that were utilized for food production and should become a regular practice. Surplus edible food can also be plugged into existing government schemes for feeding the poor.

Some food waste is bound to happen due to the nature of this industry. Recycling food waste and inedible byproducts will close the loop by avoiding landfill dumping. Encouraging start-ups that are working to convert food leftovers to compost or energy is a step in the right direction. The success of such initiatives will help promote segregation of waste at household level. Adopting waste segregation is a key step for preventing food waste from reaching landfills.

Goal 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals aims at achieving responsible consumption and production. One of its targets is to halve global per capita food waste by 2030. India has a rich past of generating minimal waste and maintaining sustainable lifestyle. Feeding the hungry is part and parcel of the traditions, culture and heritage of India. Revisiting the Indian value system and amalgamating it with the circular economy can help end hunger and food wastage.

(The writers are, respectively, a student and an associate professor at Jindal School of Environment & Sustainability, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India.)

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is more food in landfills than any other single material. Food scraps do not easily degrade in landfills and get tightly compacted creating anaerobic conditions around them. In the absence of oxygen, the degrading food waste releases methane which is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) more dangerous than carbon dioxide. The global warming potential of methane is several times that of carbon dioxide.

According to the FAO, GHG emissions caused by food waste account for about eight per cent of total anthropogenic GHG emissions. If food loss and wastage were a country, it would be the third largest GHG emitting country in the world. The food and agriculture industry consumes nearly 35 per cent of global freshwater and more than 30 per cent cropland. Large volumes of harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides are sprayed on crops and soil for producing food.

In India, where close to 60 per cent land is under agriculture, food production contributes significantly to soil and water pollution. The groundwater table in the North Indian states of Punjab and Haryana has declined significantly due to intensive agriculture. Conflicts over water resources to meet agricultural demand are on the rise across India. Wasting one plate of food means wasting all the natural resources and efforts that have gone into producing it.

Despite these concerns, India is a large food waste generating country. According to the UN’s Food Waste Index report 2021, India wastes 68.8 tonnes of food every year. The Global Hunger Index 2022, although disputed by the Government on methodology, ranks India at 107 out of 121 countries. There is a need for reimagining food supply and accessibility since the current food system is not working for everyone.

Food supply chains in India need to be designed on the principles of circular economy beginning with the 3Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle. Food wastage at production level must be reduced by organising operations efficiently. Food industry standards need to be strengthened to minimize waste generation at all levels. Municipal agencies must lead awareness to prevent food wastage across cities and towns.

Reusing surplus edible food is critical for preventing food wastage. Pioneering initiatives by civil society organisations are needed to create platforms for redistributing surplus food. Government and municipal agencies can help by making feeding the hungry a priority. Donating extra edible food helps save resources that were utilized for food production and should become a regular practice. Surplus edible food can also be plugged into existing government schemes for feeding the poor.

Some food waste is bound to happen due to the nature of this industry. Recycling food waste and inedible byproducts will close the loop by avoiding landfill dumping. Encouraging start-ups that are working to convert food leftovers to compost or energy is a step in the right direction. The success of such initiatives will help promote segregation of waste at household level. Adopting waste segregation is a key step for preventing food waste from reaching landfills.

Goal 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals aims at achieving responsible consumption and production. One of its targets is to halve global per capita food waste by 2030. India has a rich past of generating minimal waste and maintaining sustainable lifestyle. Feeding the hungry is part and parcel of the traditions, culture and heritage of India. Revisiting the Indian value system and amalgamating it with the circular economy can help end hunger and food wastage.

Prabhroop Kaur & Govind Singh

Source: The Statesman, 24/03/23

(The writers are, respectively, a student and an associate professor at Jindal School of Environment & Sustainability, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India.)