Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's Minister for Forests, A K Saseendran, said in the Assembly today that 637 people were killed by wild animals in the past five years in the State.
The minister also said that the archaic laws passed by the Parliament with regard to wildlife conservation should be changed.
He termed the Opposition's allegation that the government has failed in handling wild animal attack as false and also noted that such allegations would demotivate the officials of the department who are working hard to curb menace posed by wild animals.
The Opposition demanded to stop the Assembly proceedings and discuss the increasing deaths of people and damage to property in wild animal attacks. Opposition Leader V D Satheeshan said that there should be a change attitude that action will be taken only if people die. The Opposition left the Assembly as they were denied permission for an adjournment motion.
Budget likely to earmark funds to limit attacks
The Kerala Budget for the financial year 2023-24 is likely to earmark funds for a proposed project to prevent wild animal attacks and to bring down human-wildlife conflicts. The Forest Department has submitted the proposal for a Rs 400-crore project for the approval of the State Finance Ministry.
The Forest Department has also recommended facilitating 20 Forest Stations along the forest boundaries and to form 25 units of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) to guide the wild animals that stray into inhabited areas back into the wilds.
More funds for the project may be allocated to Wayanad, Idukki and Palakkad districts where the human-wildlife conflict is severe. Funds have been sought to set up hanging solar fences and organic fences besides solar fences, trenches and crash guard rope fencing.
