Online Consultation on Sub-Zero Draft of the National Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan | West Bengal

30 Sep, 2020

The Indo-German Project “Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC)” in India organised an online consultation workshop on the sub-zero draft of the National Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan (HWC-NAP) to receive inputs from project partner state West Bengal on 30 September 2020. The online discussion focussed on key elements of the sub-zero draft with officers and experts from West Bengal.

Mr Ravi Kant Sinha, PCCF (HOFF), West Bengal Forest Department (WBFD) and Mr V K Yadav, PCCF (WL) & CWW, WBFD welcomed the participants and stressed on the importance of the National HWC Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan and its significance for the states with high human-wildlife conflict such as West Bengal. Dr Neeraj Khera, Team Leader HWC Project, GIZ provided an overview of the purpose and context of the Indo-German HWC project and shared the agenda for consultation workshop. She presented the approach and process towards developing the HWC-NAP, and facilitated the discussion and feedback on key elements, strategic goals and expected results under the HWC-NAP, together with the other authors of the HWC-NAP: Mr PC Tyagi, Wildlife Institute of India, Mr S K Khanduri, ex-IGF (WL) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Dr B C Choudhury, and Dr S Sathyakumar, WII, and experts from GIZ: Dr Dibyendu Mandal and Mr Vimarsh Sharma. Mr P C Tyagi elaborated the legal framework relevant to specific issues in the HWC-NAP.

The consultation received inputs from 21 experts including Mr Ravi Kant Sinha, PCCF (HOFF), WBFD; Mr V K Yadav, PCCF (WL) & CWW; Mr Pradeep Vyas, Former PCCF (WL) CWW West Bengal, Mr VK Sood, APCCF North; Mr Tapas Das, CCF & Director, Sundarban Tiger Reserve; Mr Rajendra Jakhar, CCF (WL) North; Mr Subhankar Sengupta, CCF & FD Buxa Tiger Reserve; Ms. Nisha Goswami, DFO Gorumara Wildlife Division; Ms. Uma Rani, DFO, Baikunthapur; Mr Mridul Kumar, DFO, Jalpaiguri; Mr Ajay Kumar Das, Joint Director, Sundarban TR; Mr Subhankar Sengupta, FD, Buxa TR; Mr GP Chhetri, CCF, North; Mr Kumar Vimal, DFO, Jaldapara; and Mr Prasanta Pandit.

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About the project

The Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC) project implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change aims at providing technical support at the national level, and effective implementation of HWC mitigation measures in selected states of India. The project pilot sites are: Haridwar Forest Division and adjoining landscape including Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, Gorumara Wildlife Division in West Bengal, and Kodagu Forest Circle in Karnataka.

The main objective of the project is that the rural population in project areas, where agreed guidelines and tools are applied to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, is better protected against it. The project takes the approach of harmonious coexistence, by ensuring that both—human and wildlife—are protected from conflict. Read More

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de