(a) whether the Government has made use to drone technology to improve monitoring and surveillance in National Parks/Wildlife Sanctuaries to curb poaching and other such illegal activities;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the National Parks/Wildlife Sanctuaries where the technology has been implemented;
(c) whether the Government proposes to take steps/measures to ensure that the natural ecosystem is not disturbed by the new drone technology;
(d) whether the said technology is used in wildlife parks in the State of Kerala such as Neyyar Park, which requires heightened vigilance to protect its wildlife; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? |
| ANSWER |
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)
(a)&(b) The drone technology has been pilot tested in the Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Besides, permission has been obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Defence for use of this technology in 13 more Tiger Reserves namely, Corbett (Uttarakhand), Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan), Panna (Madhya Pradesh), Melghat (Maharashtra), Similipal (Odisha), Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh &Telangana), Bandipur (Karnataka), Sathyamangalam (Tamil Nadu), Parambikulam (Kerala), Kaziranga (Assam), Namdapha (Arunachal Pradesh) and Sundarbans (West Bengal).
(c) to (e) Till date, no reports of adverse effect on eco-system have been observed during the use of the said technology on pilot basis. Drone technology is not being used in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries including Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. So far the technology has been pilot tested only in Tiger Reserves under the Project Tiger. |
| |
|
|
