Thekkady: The Union Government will file a review petition with the Supreme Court on the latter’s earlier verdict calling for creating a 1 km buffer zone around all protected forest areas and wildlife sanctuaries, assured Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.

He was inaugurating a programme to mark the World Elephant Day celebrations at Periyar National Park in Idukki.

The Union Government has completed collecting public opinions on the verdict. The Minister said he hoped to convince the Court about the ground situation.

Stating that he has been informed of the rising wild animal attacks in the Idukki, he said, a guideline has been already issued in 2021 regarding the prevention of wild boar attacks.

“The Chief Wildlife Warden of Kerala has been given powers under Section 11 of the Wildlife Protection Act to mitigate the problem. I believe he must be exercising the power to mitigate the wild boar problem,” the Minister said.

The buffer zone is also termed Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

State Minister absent
Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran stayed away from the programme held in Thekkady.

It is alleged that Saseendran missed an opportunity to present and bring the Union Minister’s attention to Kerala’s demands on the ESZ.

In response, Saseendran said, he has already discussed the matter with the Union Minister and brought his attention to it several times.

He said he could not participate in the programme due to certain inconveniences.

Saseendran, who was in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, had released a media handout later in the evening welcoming the Union Minister’s remarks during the programme at Thekkady.