Kerala builds draft policy to address human-wildlife conflicts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pitching for an exhaustive and comprehensive overhaul of existing norms, Kerala has brought out a draft policy to address human-wildlife conflicts . It makes proposals that push for drastic reforms in the Wildlife Protection Act, to facilitate quicker response to wildlife presence in human habitats. Moving monkeys from Schedule I to II in the Act, simplifying measures to deal with animals moving from wild to human habitats irrespective of schedule, entrusting the chief wildlife warden with the power to relocate animals causing conflict and also the total responsibility for scientific management of wild animals are some of the key proposals. Aimed at redressal and mitigation of the conflict, the policy will be finalised based on suggestions from the public. The draft has been posted on the forest departments website. Suggestions would be accepted till August 27. The draft pointed out that transferring certain powers vested with the Centre to the state government in peculiar instances, would help ease out procedural formalities and facilitate speedy redressal of an emerging conflict situation. The government brought out the draft to make it a point of discussion, said a senior official. The policy would be more of an approach paper that deals with the government perspective on the issue. It would be implemented, subject to prevailing central and state legislations, the official said.