Tribal Plus programme funds will be used for the renovation of water sources, construction of new ponds, and other similar activities in wildlife-frequented areas.
Local Self-Government Department Minister MB Rajesh, Forest Minister AK Saseendran, and Revenue Minister K Rajan addressed the meeting. (X)
The Kerala government on Tuesday, 20 February, pledged to deploy additional Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) and promised to cover treatment expenses for individuals injured in wild animal attacks in Wayanad, following protests demanding a permanent resolution to frequent human-wildlife conflicts.
A ministerial delegation, which visited Wayanad on directions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, discussed the remedial proposals and took the decisions during a meeting attended by the local people’s representatives and officials.
The decisions were mainly taken on the patrolling squads, the constitution of the people’s committee, medical expenses, installation of surveillance cameras, and so on, official sources said.
The meeting was addressed by Forest Minister AK Saseendran, Revenue Minister K Rajan and Local Self-Government Department Minister MB Rajesh. They took stock of the present situation in Wayanad where two people were killed by wild jumbos which strayed into human habitations last week.
Saseendran, who presided over an all-party meeting earlier, said a total of ₹13 crore has been allocated to the Forest Department to provide compensation or medical assistance to those who die or get injured in wild animal attacks or to meet other emergencies in such cases.
During a meeting attended by local people’s representatives and officials, the delegation assured that the state cabinet would consider raising compensation for those who are killed or injured in attacks by wild animals straying into human habitations.
A decision was taken to constitute a district-level monitoring panel to deal with the issues including the straying of wild animals in human habitats and their attacks on humans.
MLAs, the district collector, district police chief, and leaders of various political parties would be the members of the monitoring panel which would meet once in two weeks and take stock of the situation, official sources said.
The employment guarantee scheme would be utilised to recreate natural habitat inside forests, they said, adding that the funds from the Tribal Plus programme of the state government would be used for the renovation of water sources, construction of new ponds, and other similar activities in the areas frequented by wildlife.
A request would be submitted to the Union government to add removal of lower-layer vegetation in forests and construction of trenches into the employment guarantee scheme, the sources said.
The district collector would be directed to send a letter to the Union government seeking an exemption for Wayanad in this regard, the ministers said.
During the meeting, the Collector was also directed to cancel the licences of those resorts in the district which attract wild animals.
Several suggestions and demands like permission to chase away strayed wild animals using rubber bullets, permission to use weapons like guns for self-defence and others were raised during the meetings.
Revenue Minister Rajan later told reporters that the district already had one RRT, and two more were deployed here recently temporarily in the wake of increasing attacks by elephants and tigers.
“Considering the requests of people’s representatives, steps will be taken to deploy both of these RRTs here permanently,” he said.
The ministers assured that the cost of treatment for those injured in the attack by wild animals, even if they were admitted to private hospitals, would be met by the government.
Steps have already been taken to install 250 surveillance cameras and to deploy 13 patrolling squads in border areas, they said.
Rajan also appealed to everyone to avoid mixing politics with the issues in Wayanad as it was a matter connected to the lives of common people.
The ministers also held talks with Catholic priests, who recently criticised the state government alleging laxity in addressing the issue of wild animals venturing into human settlements frequently.
Mananthavady bishop Jose Porunnedom later said he was not fully satisfied with the proposals and decisions that came up in the meeting convened by ministers.
“I cannot say that I have complete satisfaction with the proposals that came up during the meeting. It should be brought to the implementation level. Only then we can be completely happy,” he told the media here.
The ministers also visited the families of those killed in the wildlife attacks recently.
Earlier in the day, the Congress-led UDF opposition boycotted an all-party meeting convened by the ministerial delegation demanding the resignation of Saseendran and accusing the government of cheating people by holding mere discussions.
The opposition representatives, led by Congress legislators T Siddique and IC Balakrishnan, walked out of the all-party meeting demanding the removal of Saseendran, who they alleged was not even bothered to visit the protest-hit district even after back-to-back deaths of two persons in wild elephant attacks.
Stressing that action was the need of the hour and not discussion, they wanted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also to come to the district in person to understand the plight of the people who have been affected by frequent animal attacks.
Addressing reporters outside the hall, Siddique said the meeting should have been held by offering condolences to the families of the victims.
“How could we participate in a meeting along with a forest minister who was yet to visit the houses of those victims? So, we clearly said in the meeting that it is not the ministerial delegation but the Chief Minister of the state himself who should come here to convene the all-party meeting,” he said.
Alleging a delay in their arrival, a group of Youth Congress workers waved black flags at the convoy of ministers at Chungam in Bathery.
The agitators were pushed back by police personnel and shifted to their vehicle later.
The state government faced widespread criticism as no minister visited the protest-hit Wayanad to placate the residents in the wake of recent deaths.
Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan had already visited the family members of those who were killed in animal attacks.
Three men were killed in wild elephant attacks in the hilly district since 30 January.
Meanwhile, Kerala’s efforts to capture and relocate Belur Makhna, the tuskless bull elephant that killed tractor driver Ajeesh (42) on 10 February, almost came to a standstill with the animal moving deep into the Karnataka forests.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
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![[Left] File photo of BJP MLA Harish Poonja, who has been booked, and [right] Poonja sitting for a protest in front of Belthangady Police Station in the early hours of Sunday, 19 May, 2024.](https://s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media.thesouthfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Harish-Poonja-and-Belthangady.jpg "Harish Poonja and Belthangady")
