BENGALURU: Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre on Thursday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to declare man-animal conflict as a natural disaster, as done by the Kerala government.
In wake of the increasing such incidents, the Kerala government had declared man-animal conflict a state-specific disaster. It was again announced in May 2025.
Khandre made the proposal during a high-level review meeting with the CM on Thursday. He said the move was necessary, as there was a year-on-year rise in the number of such incidents. “It has also been decided to recruit retired defence personnel to solve the staff shortage in the forest department, particularly in places where the conflict rate is high. A separate cadre for veterinarians will be set up for easy recruitment,” Khandre said.
The minister also asked the CM to issue directions for the formation of coordination committees at the district level to mitigate the conflict.
Khandre meets Utah Senate president
Khandre also held a meeting with Utah Senate President J Stuart Adams on Thursday. Forest department officials said the duo discussed the wildlife and forest issues in the two regions, including procedures involved in seeking environmental clearances and the types of projects that are cleared.