Kochi: Opposition leader V D Satheesan on Sunday defended the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) terming its concerns over the rising instances of human-wildlife conflict in the state quite natural.
The Congress leader said there was nothing wrong in KCBC's reaction as it was only voicing the anxiety of the people living in areas prone to human-animal conflicts in Kerala.
"The anxiety and suffering of the people living in such regions are unimaginable. Their livelihood is at stake and lives at risk. When they have a problem, it is to these clerics they go first. So there is nothing wrong in the KCBC's response," Satheesan said.
Accusing the forest department of blatant inaction, Satheesan said minister Saseendran has not done anything to address the ongoing human-animal conflict.
"The conflict has been brewing for a long time but the minister has not done anything. When the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government was in power, it had implemented several projects including fencing. The present government has failed to continue with such projects," he said.
The KCBC had issued a statement asking the government to protect the lives of people the way it safeguards wild animals. The bishops' council made the statement after three people were killed in two gaur attacks in Kollam and Kottayam districts.
Minister Saseendran took strong exception to the bishops' body's statement calling it provocative. He said the KCBC was trying to bargain over the dead.
Reacting to the minister's criticism, KCBC said expressing people's concerns should not be construed as provocation.
