A primary response team of volunteers will be formed in panchayats where human-wildlife conflict is the most intense in Kerala. This was decided at the high-level review meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, February 27, to take stock of the measures initiated to control wild animal attacks.

At the meeting, it was stated that there were 273 panchayats, spread over 75 Assembly constituencies, where there was severe human-wildlife conflict. It was also decided that the state-level committee chaired by the Chief Secretary should urgently meet and draw up action plans for the functioning of the district and local-level committees.

It is still not clear how the local-level volunteers will be selected, and whether they would require any specific qualifications. The preliminary understanding is that the primary response teams will be picked by the local committees. Who should be picked and how will be decided by the state-level committee chaired by the Chief Secretary.

Once the plans, committees and teams are in place, the state-level committee has been asked to carry out periodic monitoring and assess the progress. The Chief Minister suggested that MPs and MLAs of identified 'hotspots' should be made part of the district-level committees.

Four committees have been proposed at the state, district and local levels. At the state level, there will be two committees; one chaired by the Chief Minister and the other by the Chief Secretary. The Chief Minister has set a deadline of March 15 for the formation of all the committees across the state.

Parallel to this people-centric arrangement, an administrative network with smooth flow of information will also be created. For this, the control room functioning at the Forest Department headquarters has been told to always work in coordination with the State Disaster Management Authority. The warnings, instructions and directions related to wildlife attacks issued by the control room should be passed on to the district collector, the district police chief and other concerned departments. This flow of information will help in effectively coordinating follow-up measures at the district level.

The forest officials at the meeting flagged the near dysfunctional state of the Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). There are 28 RRTs, and 20 of them are led by deputy range officers with additional charge. The meeting decided to solve the shortage of officers by creating additional deputy range officer posts through upgradation.

The meeting also decided to "consider the timely revision" of compensation for agricultural loss as well as the death of cattle as a result of wild animal attacks. As it stands, the maximum compensation for crop loss, death of domesticated animals and even damage to house as a result of wild animal attack is Rs 75,000.

The introduction of a life insurance scheme is also under consideration. The meeting has asked the secretaries of the forest, agriculture and animal husbandry departments to forward their recommendations to the Chief Secretary.

Here are the other major steps that will be immediately taken. One, explore the use of modern technology to prevent wild animal attacks; the trial run of an AI-powered wildlife fencing mechanism is already a success in Wayanad.

Two, illegal night safaris should be strictly prohibited. Three, wayside shops in tourism centres bordering the forest should be curtailed. Four, plantation managements should be prodded to weed out undergrowth in plantations.

Five, check dams and artificial water sources should be created inside forests to ensure perennial availability of water. Six, swamps and grasslands within forest areas should be restored to retain animals inside the forest. Seven, invasive species should be completely destroyed. Eight, traditional knowledge should be tapped to prevent wildlife attacks.

Besides the CM, the meeting was attended by forest minister A K Saseendran, power minister K Krishnankutty, health minister Veena George, Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan and other senior officials from various departments.