Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Demands Centre Approve Wildlife Law Changes Now

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged the state’s Members of Parliament to actively engage with the central government to approve key amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act and secure additional financial assistance for landslide-affected areas in Wayanad. Speaking at an online meeting with MPs and state ministers, Vijayan emphasized the need for the President’s assent to implement the Wildlife Act amendments, which aim to address challenges related to human-wildlife conflicts in Kerala.

The amendments, passed by the Kerala assembly, seek to empower local authorities in managing dangerous wildlife more swiftly by allowing actions such as tranquilising or, if necessary, killing wild animals that pose threats to human life outside protected forest areas. The CM pressed MPs to ensure these legislative changes receive timely approval to mitigate the growing animal attack incidents.

Vijayan also highlighted the urgent need for heightened central support under schemes addressing human-wildlife conflict, specifically requesting Rs 620 crore in special assistance. He pointed out the shortfall in disaster relief funds for Wayanad, with the Centre providing only a fraction of the Rs 2,221 crore sought for reconstruction after landslides, urging MPs to press for the full amount and increased financial help for housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

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Beyond these key issues, the CM asked MPs to seek an increased borrowing limit for Kerala and restoration of amounts cut by the Centre in recent fiscal years. Other demands included compensation for GST revenue losses, raising concerns over new rules affecting atomic mineral rights without state consultation, subsidized kerosene for fishermen, and allocation of an AIIMS hospital to the state.

Finally, Vijayan urged MPs to advocate for improvements in Kerala’s rail infrastructure, including reduced travel times on key routes, expedited surveys for new rail lines, and sanctioning of rapid rail projects to enhance connectivity across the state. He stressed the importance of unified and strong pressure on the central government to address these critical issues affecting Kerala’s development and citizen welfare.

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