Kerala seeks greater Central support to tackle human-wildlife conflict; Forests Minister Shibu Baby John meets Union Minister Bhupender Yadav

Kerala sought comprehensive policy changes and greater financial support from the Centre to address the growing human-wildlife conflict and crop destruction in the State during a meeting that Forests Minister Shibu Baby John had with Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, the Minister said the discussions covered 13 major demands raised by Kerala. While the Centre responded positively to several proposals, it refused to accept the State’s long-standing demand to declare wild boar as vermin.

According to him, the delegation highlighted that the compensation that is presently paid to farmers and others affected by wildlife attacks and crop damage is grossly inadequate.

Urging the Centre to increase financial assistance, the State government informed that it has formulated a comprehensive human-wildlife conflict management project, for which it would require ₹2,500 crore over five years. While the State Budget provision is ₹192.2 crore, the average annual release of Central assistance is only around ₹20 crore, thereby leaving a funding gap of nearly ₹290 crore.

The Minister also said that Kerala has proposed an insurance-based compensation mechanism for farmers in line with the United Democratic Front government’s manifesto. The proposed scheme is expected to better suit the State’s unique agricultural practices. The Union Minister appreciated the proposals and directed officials to initiate discussions on the matter immediately, Mr. John said.

Regarding Kerala’s long-standing demand to declare wild boar a vermin species, the Minister pointed out that the State presented detailed maps demonstrating that wild boar attacks occur predominantly outside forest areas, where natural predators are absent, thereby leading to rapid population growth and severe crop destruction. However, Mr. Yadav declined to accept the proposal and pointed out that Kerala already has a mechanism permitting the killing of wild boar under prescribed procedures.

Bonnet macaque

Another major demand concerned the increasing menace of bonnet macaque. The State requested the Centre to shift the species from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The Union Minister orally indicated support to initiate the process of examining the change.

Kerala also urged amendments to provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act by pointing out that several stipulated procedures are impractical during emergency situations involving dangerous animals. Mr. John cited the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with tigers as an example. Although the Chief Wildlife Wardens have legal authority to order elimination of dangerous tigers, the SOP requires identification of the specific animal, constitution of committees, attempts to drive it away, efforts to tranquillize it, and declaration of the animal as a man-eater only after repeated human fatalities.

He pointed out such procedures are often impossible to implement during emergencies. The Union Minister, according to him, asked Kerala to submit specific amendments required under the Act and assured that the Centre would examine them positively.