Man-animal clash: TS forms panel

The government on Tuesday ordered the constitution of a state-level committee to resolve ‘humananimal’ conflicts. The committee is expected to evolve a mechanism to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

The government order expects the committee to propose revision, if any, to the compensation package for humans and domestic animals killed in conflict with wildlife and draft guidelines for settling the claims for human death, injury, cattle kills, crop damage amongst others.

The committee is to submit a report within three months, and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests will review it.

The forest minister will be the chairperson of the committee, and Rajya Sabha MP

K.R. Suresh Reddy, special chief secretary, forests, among others, will be its members.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle a committee member called it a very proactive move. “Humanwildlife conflict has always been a major concern, the most recent example is that of wild boar which are damaging the crop,” he said.

The committee, he said, would take in all stakeholders into consideration and not leave room for any animosity. “Now that there is a committee there would be a more constructive method of tackling the issue, not just of wild boar,” he said.

The committee plans to take on the sloth bear problem, he said. It would also counsel gram panchayat members about the dos and don’ts of wildlife conservation as well as on degradation of forests.