Assessment of Human wildlife conflict situation in Kerala by Shri Bhupender Yadav

Recently, there have been incidences of human wildlife conflicts in the State of Kerala, especially in Waynad District. Taking a serious note of the situation, Shri Bhupender Yadav,Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India undertook a field visit to Bandipur National Park (which is adjoining Waynad) in Karnataka and Waynad in Kerala along with senior officers from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for a first-hand appraisal of the problem of human-wildlife conflict in the region on 21st and 22nd February 2024.

​On 22nd February 2024, Shri Yadav chaired a meeting in the Waynad District Collectorate, Kalpetta. The Director General of Forests along with officers from MoEFCC and Wildlife Institute of India were present.
The Union Minister discussed the issue in detail with the people’s representatives including Shri. O.R. Kelu, Member of Legislative Assembly, Mananthavady, Shri. I.C.Balakrishnan, Member of Legislative Assembly, Sultan Bathery, Shri.T.Siddiqu, Member of Legislative Assembly, Kalpetta and Shri. Shamshad Marakkar, District Panchayat President, Wayanad.

In addition, the meeting was attended by the Chief Wild Life Warden, Government of Kerala, the District Collector, Waynad, the Superintendent of Police, Waynad, representatives from the Departments of Forest & Wildlife, Tourism and Local Self Government, Kerala, among others.
Subsequently, Mar Jose Porunnedom, Bishop, Diocese of Mananthavadi also met Union Minster and discussed on matters relating to human- wildlife conflicts in the region.
​In pursuance of the detailed discussions, the following information were provided by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.

i. The Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore which is now under the WII, will be developed as a Centre for handholding with states like Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu on mitigation of human wildlife conflicts.

ii. Inter-State Coordination: Considering the urgent need to have better cooperation, coordination, and collaboration on wildlife issues amongst all the Southern States, inter-State coordination meetings to be convened and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will facilitate inter-state coordination meetings.

iii. Capacity Building: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to support capacity building of frontline staff and other frontline departments for use of early warning systems, use of modern technology and equipments and modern tracking systems.

iv. Funding support: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has sanctioned Rs 15.82 Crore during the Financial Year 2023-24 under various schemes to the State of Kerala. Based on the demand/ Annual Plan of Operations proposed by State Government, the Central Government will consider funding support under CAMPA and other schemes for site specific elephant proof walls and other mitigation measures.

v. Corridor Management Planning: The Central Government through Wildlife Institute of India, will assist in preparing corridor management plan in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

vi. Elephant Proof Fences: At site specific locations Elephant proof fences may be created. The State Government may request for funding support from Central Government under CAMPA and other schemes.

vii. Enhancing compensation and immediate payment: The Central Government has enhanced ex-gratia payment from Rs 5.0 Lakh to Rs 10.0 lakh on human causalities. The payment of ex-gratia has to be done by the State Government immediately and on a transparent manner. A suitable mechanism and protocol have to be developed by the State in a transparent manner.

viii. Regarding the permission for capturing, translocating or hunting of wild animals for mitigating human wildlife conflicts, Hon’ble Minister informed that Section 11 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 empowers the State Chief Wildlife Warden of the State to take such actions required to manage human wildlife conflicts.