A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by animal rights activist Angels Nair in the Kerala High Court called for urgent action to implement the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) recommendations to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. The petition, lodged in Kochi, presses the state government to address the escalating crisis by restoring forest and wildlife habitats to protect farmers and tribal communities from wild animal attacks.

The CAG report, presented in the Kerala Assembly in July 2024, outlined critical measures under the title “Implementation of Preventive and Mitigative Measures in Respect of Human-Wildlife Conflict.” It highlighted the state’s failure to curb conflicts, which have caused significant human and economic losses. Nair’s plea demands immediate compliance with these recommendations to foster sustainable coexistence.

The petition also condemns a resolution by the Chakkittapara Grama Panchayat in Kozhikode to empanel 20 shooters to kill wild animals entering villages, labeling it “anti-national” and “treasonous” for inciting hostility toward wildlife. Additionally, Nair seeks a ban on the Forest Department’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) elephant-repelling activities, arguing that their use of hand bombs and unscientific barricades in elephant corridors violates the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and provokes retaliatory attacks by elephants.

Also Read: Priyanka Gandhi Pushes for More Rural Roads in Wayanad

Further, the PIL calls for dismantling illegal barricades and investigating forest land diversions, emphasizing the need for ethical and scientific approaches to human-wildlife conflict management in Kerala.

Also Read: Kerala’s Groundbreaking Neurodiverse Coworking Hub Opens!