The Kerala Legislative Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution urging the Central government to suitably amend the Wildlife Protection Act to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran tabled the resolution for discussion as per rule 118 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.
Members across the aisle supported the resolution aimed at eliminating wildlife that trespass on human habitations, imperilling the life and property of citizens, destroying crops and preying on livestock.
UDF legislators Manjilamkuzhi Ali, T. Siddique, Sunny Joseph and I.C. Balakrishnan suggested certain amendments.
Wildlife intrusions in habitations abutting forests and lethal attacks on residents had impelled the government to request the Centre to make the law more contemporary.
The resolution demanded that the Central law empower Chief Forest Conservators to use lethal force to liquidate wild animals that trespass on residential localities and pose an imminent threat to human life.
The resolution demanded the Central government declare wild pigs as vermin. It also requested the Centre to initiate scientific and humane measures to control the wildlife population.
The government had come under attack from the Opposition for allegedly failing to protect the life and property of nearly 50 lakh families, a majority of them settler farmers living near forests in the State.
The resolution was paramount to the State, given that forests covered 30% of its geographical expanse.
In forested districts, children go to school in fear. Farmers risk their lives to collect fodder for livestock. Rubber tappers were reluctant to set out early to plantations. Tuber crop cultivation has reached a standstill in Kerala due to the bourgeoning menace of wild pigs. Wildlife threats posed an almost existential hazard to the State’s declining rural economy.
The wild elephant attack that claimed the life of an agriculture worker, Ajeesh, in Mananthavady on Saturday caused public alarm and outrage, putting the government on the defence ahead of the Lok Sabha elections
The UDF had blamed forest officials for not taking pre-emptive action to insulate residential localities from potentially lethal wildlife intrusions in Wayanad.
Marauding wild elephants, foraging feral pigs, and monkeys ferreting about for food have caused crop losses estimated at ₹68 crores since 2019.
Muraleedharan’s charge
Union Minister for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, meanwhile, mocked the resolution. He said it was a saving grace that the government did not blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inciting elephants and tigers to harass settler farmers.
Mr. Muraleedharan said the State Forest department was inept in mitigating human-wildlife conflict. The Centre has given Kerala ₹31 crore since 2019 to protect human habitations and farmlands abutting forests from wildlife incursions.
The Centre had issued a detailed advisory to States, spelling out the measures to keep wildlife at bay. They included digging trenches, setting barbed fences and bio-fencing around farmlands and plantations.
