The government is planning to vest the heads of local self government institutions in Kerala with the power to cull wild animals posing a threat to human life and property, Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has said.
Speaking after inaugurating several new facilities at the Social Forestry division, Chalakudy, he said on Monday that moves were on to designate the heads of local bodies as honorary wildlife warden and the secretaries of municipalities and panchayats as authorised officers for the purpose. The proposals would be presented at the next Cabinet meeting.
Mr. Saseendran said the government was forced to think of framing new laws to ensure public participation in addressing the human-animal conflict without falling foul of the Central wildlife protection laws. “The mitigation strategy for one location is often not effective in other places. This has prompted the Forest department to think of a decentralised system involving the Forest force, gram panchayats, and the NREGS”.
The Minister said more Rapid Response Teams would be constituted and early warning systems improved to address the issue.
He inaugurated forestry clubs, quarters for Forest department employees, and social forestry programmes for educational purposes.
Saneeshkumar Joseph MLA presided.
