57 people killed by wild elephants in Kerala in three years: Union Minister

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: As man-animal conflict gets acute nationwide, the Central and state governments are initiating various measures to minimise the risks and save both parties.

The Central and state ministers in charge of forests have explained the measures taken by the respective governments to tackle the issue of wild elephants invading areas of human habitation in Kerala, causing widespread destruction.

In New Delhi, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav told K Sudhakaran, MP, in Parliament that 57 people had lost their lives in Kerala alone in attacks by wild elephants over the last three years.

“The task of preserving wildlife as well as checking the threat posed by wild elephants rests with the state government. The state has implemented suitable measures in this regard. Moreover, Kerala has utilized funds from Central government programmes for the purpose,” said Yadav.

The Union Minister also told Sudhakaran, an MP from Kannur in Kerala, that several projects were completed in Kannur forest division to check the wild elephant menace. They include a 10.25-km-long wall from Valayamchal in Kariyamkappu, Kottiyoor range; a solar power fence extending to 38.36 km in Thaliparamba range and another solar fence of 3 km in Kannavam range. “In addition, a three-km trench was dug from Vietnam Colony to Nilayi and a hanging fence was installed over 11.5 km on the border between the forest and Payyavoor grama panchayat,” said Yadav.

‘Projects worth Rs 620 cr in the pipeline’

Meanwhile, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala’s Minister for Forests A K Saseendran said that the state Forest Department had prepared projects worth Rs 620 crore to be implemented over five years to prevent wild animals, including elephants, from encroaching into human settlements.

“In order to block wild elephants, trenches will be built at 12 places; walls will come up along 29 km; solar power fence will be installed along 62 km; hanging fence will be arranged at a length of 470.33 km and an organic fence will be put up for 15.5 km,” he said.

Referring to the report of a study carried out over the issue, Saseendran said that it had recommended preparing a suitable environment in the forest for wild animals so that they would not be forced to venture out of their natural habitat. For this, instead of trees such as acacia, local species have to be planted in the forest, said the report. In addition, water sources have to be arranged inside the forest by preserving springs and building check dams.

“We have also received a suggestion from officials to direct farmers not to cultivate crops which attract wild animals. But, we cannot issue a government order in this regard,” said the minister.

Saseendran also said that even though a Central government programme offering an amount of Rs 10 lakh to people living near forest borders to relocate from there was implemented in Wayanad, it had received poor response. “The state government is not keen to shift people away from their homes,” he added.