Direct govt. to act on manwildlife conflict: MLA’s petition in SC

Kerala MLA P.V. Anvar has moved the Supreme Court highlighting the increasing and serious challenges of humanwildlife conflict, drawing attention to the deaths of 13 people in Tamil Nadu and Kerala after encounters with wild animals.

Mr. Anvar urged the court to direct the Centre to frame a technologybased strategy and action plan to reduce humanwildlife conflict at the national level and in selected States.

The MLA said the Union government should also create a national corpus fund for the compensation to the victims of humanwildlife conflict.

“Humanwildlife conflict occurs where the needs of human beings and wildlife meet at a common point, like in the case of space, crops and other natural resources, especially in most densely populated States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, etc. The unscientific approach of afforestation in the country further worsens the situation,” the petition said.

Kerala‘s significant forest cover, encompassing nearly 30% of its area, juxtaposed with densely populated human settlements and agricultural plantations near wildlife habitats, sets the stage for frequent humananimal conflicts. The geographical area of the State is covered by forests, affecting the lives of nearly 50 lakh families, mostly settler farmers.

The immediate reason for filing the petition, the MLA said, was the death of five people in Kerala’s Idukki; including a forest officer in Wayanad; a tribal woman in Thrissur; a farmer in Kozhikode; an autorickshaw driver in Malappuram; and two people in Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu.