Increase funds to tackle man-animal conflict, Priyanka tells Pinarayi Vijayan

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Wayanad MP, has urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to increase the funds for mitigating man-animal conflicts in Wayanad and Malappuram districts. She also suggested despatching a specialised team, to be formed in consultation with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), to these areas to take up steps for the protection of human lives and habitations that fall within high-risk zones.

In a letter to Mr. Vijayan on February 20, she pointed out that the State government had been delaying releasing of funds for the protection of human habitations.

“It is my understanding that the funds required for adequate measures to be taken for the protection of human habitations that lie in and around the forest areas are not available to the local administration. While a significant part of the responsibility for this lies with the MoEF, the Central government [funds] are required to match the State allocation. Thus, when the State allocation is not received due to a delay or other reasons, the Central government desists from sending their share. This leaves the local administration in a dire situation where they are under immense pressure from the panic and pain caused by the frequency of animal attacks.”

Ms. Vadra also said that the district authorities in Wayanad had conveyed to her that they required a considerable increase in funds for the acquisition of thermal drones, camera traps, live CCTV cameras, and radio collars to monitor animal movement.

“They are also in urgent need of increasing the number of rapid response team vehicles. The facilities at the local animal hospice centre at Sulthan Bathery requires to be upgraded as the number of animals in it has increased and it is already functioning beyond its capacity. Most importantly, funds for the building and maintenance of physical barriers such as elephant-proof trenches, walls, solar fencing and hanging fences are urgently needed,” she said.

Ms. Vadra said that there was an increasing level of fear among the local people coupled with an apparent lack of faith in the ability of local authorities to protect their lives.

“They do not trust mitigation measures such as trenches as their overwhelming experience has been that lack of maintenance renders them ineffective. Hanging fences are unable to stop large predators like tigers and leopards causing similar scepticism. In most places, the people demanded that animal proof walls be built and were unwilling to settle for any other measures. In addition, there is growing hostility towards wild animals in the area due to the frequency of animal attacks and the resultant deaths,” she added.