No need to amend Wildlife Protection Act: Yadav
Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has said that there is no need for any amendment in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to address humanwildlife conflict as the chief wildlife warden was empowered to trap, catch, and, if necessary, shoot wildlife according to Section 11 of the Act.
Speaking to the media at
Kalpetta in Kerala on Thursday after holding discussions with senior officials of various departments and public representatives, Mr. Yadav blamed the State government and local representatives of Wayanad and the adjoining regions for ignoring the escalating humananimal conflict. This was rather unfortunate and led to loss of lives, he added.
The Centre has sanctioned ₹15.82 crore during the 202324 fiscal under various schemes to the State, Mr. Yadav said. “We request the State government to be prompt in its response so that lives can be saved and wildlife can flourish,” Mr. Yadav said.
Mr. Yadav was on a twoday field visit to the district after a visit to Bandipur National Park in Karnataka along with senior officers from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) and scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for a firsthand appraisal of humanwildlife conflict in the region.
The MOEFCC has decided to develop the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, as a centre for helping States like Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu on mitigation of humanwildlife conflicts based on the discussions, Mr. Yadav said.
Mr. Yadav stressed on the need for better cooperation, coordination, and collaboration among southern States on wildlife issues. The Centre will facilitate interstate coordination meetings, he added.