THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Under attack from all corners, Forest Minister A K Saseendran on Thursday sought to play down his statement on culling of tigers, saying it was a mere suggestion. However, the government has not rejected the idea fully, and may approach the Union government seeking amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 so as to make culling and shifting of wild animals that cause threat to human life legal.
Kerala is of the view that states which have good track record in forest and wildlife conservation should be given flexibility in dealing with new issues. “As a state where the number of wild animals has registered a phenomenal growth, Kerala wants a leeway in dealing with the human-animal conflict,” Saseendran said.
The minister said his office plans to invite suggestions from people and organisations to solve the wild animal attack on humans. An expert committee will vet the suggestions and summarise them to submit before the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
A decision in this regard will be taken after consultation with the Advocate General and the law department. The final call will be of the Chief Minister, he said.
“The Wildlife Protection Act is no longer useful in dealing with the issues that arise now like human-wild animal conflict. It was drafted and enacted at a time when there were no cases of wild animals attacking humans and farmland,” Saseendran said, and pointed out that noted environmentalist Madhav Gadgil has also said the same.
No conservation law allows culling: Minister
“His statement supporting the suggestion of culling goes along with the farmers’ demand. We have to examine what other countries have done to deal with it. In India there is no conservation law that allows culling,” Saseendran said.
Although both the Union and state governments could make laws pertaining to forests, the Centre forms the policy and guidelines. Wildlife Protection Act is in the concurrent list. An amendment to it is possible only by the Union government.
Besides tiger, the state government has identified elephant, wild boar, peacock, deer, and monkey as the main threat to human life and livelihood.
Saseendran said he had a discussion with the farmers’ representatives and the local people from the affected areas. The farmers’ organisations like KIFA and INFAM have asked the forest department to cull the wild animals which are threatening their livelihoods, he added.