A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the State government to inform specifically about the committee which is coordinating measures to deal with the human-animal conflicts at the Aralam Farm and also the officer who is heading the committee.
The Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S. Manu also directed the State government to inform the court whether the committee had formulated any short and long term action plans. The government was asked to mention the timeline fixed for the implementation of the plans. The government should also mention whether any telephone number or social media platform has been provided for the tribal settlers to report about the animal attacks.
The court passed the order when a public interest litigation, filed by Baiju Paul Mathews, seeking a directive to the State government to take steps to prevent human-animal conflicts in the farm came up for hearing.
Three-tier committee
The government pleader submitted that a three-tier committee at the State, district, and local levels had been constituted to address the human-animal conflicts at the hotpots in 273 panchayats.
The Forest department had taken various long term and short term steps to address the issues in the Aralam Farm. A decision was taken to install an elephant wall along 10 km at the tribal resettlement areas, of which construction of 4.5 km wall has been completed. Steps have also been taken to install solar hanging fence in the remaining area till the wall construction is completed. The Forest department has intensified the patrolling in the settlement and a special rapid action force has been deployed in the area. Arrangements have also been made for drone surveillance and giving advance information on animals roaming in the areas.
Published – March 13, 2025 07:33 pm IST
