In the wake of the recent tragic incidents of wild animal attacks on people, Kerala government on Wednesday declared man-animal conflict as a ‘state-specific disaster’.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has decided to declare human-wildlife conflict as a state specific disaster in the wake of the escalating issue of human-animal conflict in the state.
The Cabinet also decided to utilise the services of the State Disaster Management Authority in addressing the issue. The Committees will be formed at the state, district and local levels and their specific roles and responsibilities will be decided after discussions between the Chief Secretary and the Forest Secretary.
The state level committee, to be chaired by the Chief Minister will have the ministers of Forest, Revenue, Local Self Government (LSG) and SC/ST Welfare as members. The Chief Secretary will be the convener. The he panel will give directions to address man-animal conflict at the state level.
Another committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, will also be constituted at the state level to issue orders and directions at the state level. The panel will have secretaries of Home, Forest, Revenue, LSG, Agriculture, SC/ST Welfare in addition to Head of Wildlife Department, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden and member secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Mangement Authority.
The Minister, who is in charge of the district concerned, will head the panel that will act as a controlling mechanism at the district level.The panel will direct and oversee all activities related to man-animal conflict at the district level.
It was also decided to convene inter-state coordination committee meetings with officials of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for coordinating activities relating to addressing man animal conflict.