Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has declared wildlife attacks as a special disaster in the state. Today’s cabinet meeting declared wildlife attack as a special disaster. It will also include and coordinate the work of the State Disaster Management Authority. Four committees at the Chief Minister-Ministerial and officer level will be formed including at the district and regional levels.
1. The committee will be formed at the state level with the Chief Minister as the Chairman. The Minister of Forests, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Local Self-Government, Minister of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be the members and the Chief Secretary will be the convener. This committee will make necessary recommendations at the state level.
2. Chief Secretary as Chairman Home Secretary, Revenue Department Secretary, Forest Department Secretary, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Department Secretary, Local Self-Government Department Secretary, Agriculture Department Secretary, Head of Forest Department, PCCF & Chief Wildlife Warden, Disaster Management Authority member and secretary will form the control committee at the state level as members. It will be the responsibility of this committee to give instructions and orders for the implementation of matters in this regard at the state level.
3. District In-charge Minister as Chairman and District Collector, SP, DFO, District Medical Officer (Health), LSGD Deputy Director, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Deputy Director, District Agriculture Department Officer, District Animal Welfare Department A control system will be formed consisting of officers. All matters related to this in the district will be under the direction and supervision of this committee.
4. Vigilance Committees exist on the basis of local self-government bodies in areas prone to wildlife conflict. Vigilance Committees will prepare and implement measures to prevent wildlife conflict at the local level. They should also work as per the instructions of the concerned district level committee. In emergency situations, this committee can take steps and seek the approval of the district committee. The Vigilance Committee will consist of the President of the Local Self-Government, concerned Forest Department Officer, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department Officer, Agriculture Department Officer, Animal Welfare Department Officer, Tehsildar, Police Officer and Health Department Officer. The chairman will be the president of the local government body. The committee will also include representatives of recognized voluntary organizations in the field.
5. Appointing the Chief Wildlife Warden as the nodal officer for handling human-wildlife conflict will help in solving the problem.
6. A control room under the charge of the Chief Wildlife Warden will be functioning at the Forest Department headquarters, similar to the monitoring system that the Secretariat has in place during natural calamities. Adequate communication facilities will be provided in the control room.
7. Modern information and communication systems, including WhatsApp groups, will be set up to warn people from time to time in areas prone to wildlife attacks.
8. More temporary watchers will be posted for vigilance in areas where human-wildlife conflict exists.
9. Officers who have proven their ability to intervene in wildlife conflicts will be posted in these areas. The head of the state forest department was entrusted with this.
10. Owners will be directed to remove bushes in estates, plantations and farms adjoining forest areas. This activity will also be extended to government and semi-government owned plantations.
11. Plantation owners will be requested to participate in wildlife conflict mitigation activities.
12. Existing Rapid Response Teams will be strengthened with necessary personnel, equipment and vehicles.
13. Special Vigilance Committees will be formed as per requirement on Forest Division/ Station basis in areas where human-wildlife conflict is likely. This will be the responsibility of DFOs.
14. Adequate water availability for animals within the forest in areas prone to wildlife conflict shall be ensured. The forest department should suggest that wherever temporary arrangements can be made for this. Consideration will be given to finding the necessary amount for this with the help and cooperation of public sector/ private institutions.
15. A detailed report should be made available to the government on a weekly basis to evaluate the work done by the high-level committee of officers present at the forest department headquarters, the measures taken and the necessary instructions.
16. The Head of Forest Department shall be directed to pay the compensation amount declared as soon as possible following wildlife attack. The progress of this should be assessed by the Secretary of the Forest Department.
17. Expenditure necessary for this purpose will be considered exempt from treasury controls.
18. Steps will be taken to allocate an additional Rs.110 crores (total Rs.210 crores) through KIFBI in addition to the Rs.100 crores currently allocated through KIFBI for matters related to human-wildlife conflict.
19. An expert committee comprising international and national experts will be constituted to submit proposals for long-term and short-term plans to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and adopt preventive measures.
20. Inter-State Co-ordination Committee meetings consisting of concerned officers of the States of Kerala-Karnataka-Tamil Nadu will be held to coordinate issues related to human-wildlife conflicts. Chief Secretary and Head of Forest Department will be assigned for this purpose.
