Kerala assembly: Opposition walks out accusing the government of having no strategy to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts
The Hindu
Congress legislator Sunny Joseph, who moved an adjournment motion to discuss the threat, accused the government of remaining inert to the plight of 30 lakh people living in fear in the periphery of 23 protected forests
Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) opposition walked out of the Assembly on Wednesday, accusing the Forest department of lacking a sound strategy to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
Congress legislator Sunny Joseph, who moved an adjournment motion to discuss the threat caused to citizens by marauding wild animals, said the human-wildlife conflict had claimed 640 lives in Kerala since 2018.
Also read |Explained | Kerala’s escalating human-wildlife conflicts
Wild animals have injured 6000 persons and destroyed crops in more than 8000 localities. The causalities were mainly settler farmers living in the periphery of forests and tribals in isolated settlements.
Mr. Joseph said the government had withheld compensation for injury and crop loss caused by wild animals since 2021.
“It only compensated deaths”, he said. The government has not paid forest watchers for six months. Forest officials do not attend distress calls from citizens, prompting the Principal Secretary, Forests, to issue a warning recently.
Mr. Joseph said the tiger which killed Sanu Thomas in Wayanad in January had been prowling in the locality since December last.