Kerala Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to amend the relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act to address the escalating man-animal conflict in the state.
The resolution was moved by Forest Minister A K Saseendran under Rule 118 of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Assembly.
The resolution wanted necessary amendments in the Act to grant permission to cull a wild animal which has become a threat to human life and also simplify the norms and procedures accordingly.
The resolution also wanted wild boar, which has posed a major threat to human life and crops in the state, to be declared vermin as per section 62 of the Act. Once declared vermin, culling of wild boars would be permitted for a certain period.
The resolution sought an amendment to section 11 (1) (a) of the Act, which empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden to permit any person to kill a wild animal specified in schedule one if the officer feels that it has become dangerous to human life or is severely disabled or sick beyond recovery, reports Indian Express.
The state government wanted the delegation of powers granted to the chief wildlife warden to the chief forest conservators for prompt action.
Reacting to the state government’s demand, BJP leader and union minister V Muraleedharan tweeted, “shameful that @CPIMKerala has made it a habit to pass on all its failures onto the shoulders of GoI to divert people’s attention from @pinarayivijayan ‘s inefficiencies in governing Kerala. @CPIMKerala orchestrated a drama on Finances first & now using Legislature to peddle lies.’’
He alleged that the motion passed in the Assembly on Wednesday blaming the central government for hiding the state’s failure to tackle the man-animal conflict exposed the fault lines in its governance.
Kerala has been witnessing a surge in human casualties due to animal attacks. Last week, a wild elephant had stormed into a compound of a house in Wayanad district and trampled a farmer to death, triggering massive protests in the state.
The radio-collared elephant is still elusive. The state forest department has deployed a 200-member team to track the animal and tranquilize it.
The Opposition UDF legislators had marched to the house of the forest minister demanding his resignation for the government’s failure in addressing the issue.