Kerala Assembly | Opposition UDF walks out slamming government’s ‘failure’ to protect lives and property of citizens from wildlife attacks

Congress-led UDF Opposition walked out of Kerala Legislative Assembly accusing LDF government of dismally 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 Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition walked out of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on February 12 (Monday) accusing the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of dismally 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 wild elephant attack that claimed the life of an agriculture worker, Ajeesh, at Mananthavady in Wayanad on February 10 prompted Congress legislator T. Siddique to move an adjournment notice seeking the leave of the House to discuss the threat posed to human habitations by wild animals spilling out of forest reserves to farmlands and residential locations in search of prey and forage.

Mr. Siddique accused the government of failing to track the radio-collared elephant that caused Ajeesh’s death in real time.

He blamed forest officials for not taking pre-emptive action to insulate residential localities from potentially lethal wildlife intrusions in Wayanad.

Mr. Siddique said the District Magistrate and the Sub-collector failed to invoke the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) provisions to eliminate wild animals that pose an imminent danger to humans.

He said that out of the 909 persons killed in human-wildlife conflicts since 2019, at least 54 were from Wayanad district. Hundreds of people still bore scars from debilitating wild animal attacks, including pedestrians and families on two-wheelers.

Mr. Siddique said marauding wild elephants, foraging feral pigs, and monkeys ferreting about for food have caused crop losses estimated at ₹68 crores since 2019.