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Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 14 (PTI) Kerala will launch a 100-day action plan from Monday aimed at ensuring the safety of people living along forest fringes and reducing human-wildlife conflict, the state Forest Department said.
The initiative, comprising 17 people-centric projects, seeks to balance biodiversity conservation with the protection of human lives and property, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.
The action plan comes at a time when the state has witnessed a series of human-wildlife conflict incidents and casualties in recent weeks.
Over the next 100 days, the department will focus on mitigating wildlife conflict, streamlining compensation disbursal, strengthening wildlife monitoring through modern technology, and digitising
public services.
As part of the first phase, 100 kilometres of new solar-powered fencing will be installed in high-conflict zones. Repair works on around 2,000 kilometres of existing fences will be expedited and brought under a centralised monitoring system, it said.
The department will also launch a 100-km ‘vista clearance’ project to clear undergrowth along forest roads to improve commuter safety. The second phase of the ‘Sarpa’ snake rescue project will also be rolled out.
To ensure quicker response to wildlife attacks, 25 satellite Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) and Metro Response Teams in urban areas will be constituted.
The state government will submit a revised proposal to the Centre seeking legal amendments to address the menace caused by wild boars and bonnet macaques. It has sought the classification of wild boars as vermin under the Wildlife Protection Act and the shifting of monkeys from Schedule I to Schedule II.
The state will also conduct panchayat-level wild boar censuses and prepare a panel of authorised shooters. Panchayat-level response teams will be trained to tackle issues related to monkeys, peacocks and other species, while Forest Liaison Officers will be appointed for coordination.
Special packages will be formulated for Wayanad, Kothamangalam and Munnar, regions identified as human-wildlife conflict hotspots, the statement said.
An expert committee will be constituted to examine the feasibility of introducing insurance schemes for farmers and residents in wildlife-prone areas.
A state-level advisory committee comprising farmers and scientists will also be set up, along with a dedicated action plan to strengthen the Forest Veterinary Wing.
The department will map and clean abandoned estates that have become habitats for wild animals. Measures will also be taken to revise captive elephant management rules and modernise elephant care centres.
To ensure speedy resolution of issues, including compensation claims, an integrated online portal and WhatsApp-based services will be introduced. A 24×7 forest call centre will also be established.
The state will undertake a study on the wildlife carrying capacity of Kerala’s forests with the support of national-level scientific institutions.
The programme will further include large-scale habitat improvement measures such as grassland restoration, removal of invasive plant species and social forestry initiatives with community participation to enhance natural habitats for wildlife, the statement added. PTI LGK KH
