Wayanad: Kerala Govt's ministerial team assures to deploy more RRTs

Wayanad (Kerala), Feb 20 (PTI): The Kerala government on Wednesday pledged to deploy additional rapid response teams and promised to cover treatment expenses for individuals injured in wild animal attacks here, following protests demanding a permanent resolution to frequent human-wildlife conflicts.

A ministerial delegation, which visited here on directions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, discussed the remedial proposals and took the decisions during a meeting attended by the local people's representatives and officials.

The decisions were mainly taken on the patrolling squads, constitution of the people's committee, medical expenses, installation of surveillance cameras and so on, official sources here said.

The meeting was addressed by Forest Minister A K Saseendran, Revenue Minister K Rajan and LSGD Minister M B Rajesh. They took stock of the present situation in Wayanad where two people were killed by wild jumbos which strayed into human habitations last week.

Saseendran, who presided over an-all-party meeting earlier, said a total of Rs 13 crore has been allocated to the Forest Department to provide compensation or medical assistance to those who die or get injured in wild animal attacks or to meet other emergency situations in such cases.

During a meeting attended by local people's representatives and officials, the delegation assured that the state cabinet would consider raising compensation for those who are killed or injured in attacks by wild animals straying into human habitations.

A decision was taken to constitute a district level monitoring panel to deal with the issues including the straying of wild animals in human habitats and their attacks on humans.

MLAs, the district collector, district police chief and leaders of various political parties would be the members of the monitoring panel which would meet once in two weeks and take stock of the situation, official sources said.

The employment guarantee scheme would be utilised to recreate natural habitat inside forests, they said, adding that the funds from the Tribal Plus programme of the state government would be used for the renovation of water sources, construction of new ponds and other similar activities in the areas frequented by wildlife.

A request would be submitted to the Centre to add removal of lower-layer vegetation in forests and construction of trenches into the employment guarantee scheme, the sources said.

The district collector would be directed to send a letter to the union government seeking an exemption for Wayanad in this regard, the ministers said.

During the meeting, the Collector was also directed to cancel the licences of those resorts in the district which attract wild animals.

Several suggestions and demands like permission to chase away strayed wild animals using rubber bullets, permission to use weapons like guns for self-defence and others were raised during the meetings.

Revenue Minister Rajan later told reporters that the district already had one RRT, and two more were deployed here recently on a temporary basis in the wake of increasing attacks by elephants and tigers.

''Considering the requests of people's representatives, steps will be taken to deploy both of these RRTs here permanently,'' he said.

The ministers assured that the cost of treatment for those injured in the attack by wild animals, even if they were admitted to private hospitals, would be met by the government.

Steps have already been taken to install 250 surveillance cameras and to deploy 13 patrolling squads in border areas, they said.

Rajan also appealed to everyone to avoid mixing politics with the issues in Wayanad as it was a matter connected to the lives of common people.

The ministers also held talks with Catholic priests who recently criticised the state government alleging laxity in addressing the issue of wild animals venturing into human settlements frequently.

Mananthavady bishop Jose Porunnedom later said he was not fully satisfied with the proposals and decisions that came up in the meeting convened by ministers.

''I cannot say that I have complete satisfaction with the proposals that came up during the meeting. It should be brought to the implementation level. Only then we can be completely happy,'' he told the media here.

The ministers also visited the families of those killed in the wildlife attacks recently.

Earlier in the day, the Congress-led UDF opposition boycotted an all-party meeting convened by the ministerial delegation demanding the resignation of Saseendran and accusing the government of cheating people by holding mere discussions.

The opposition representatives, led by Congress legislators T Siddique and I C Balakrishnan, walked out of the all-party meeting demanding the removal of Saseendran, who they alleged was not even bothered to visit the protest-hit district even after back-to-back deaths of two persons in wild elephant attacks.

Stressing that action was the need of the hour and not discussion, they wanted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also to come to the district in person to understand the plight of the people who have been affected by frequent animal attacks.

Addressing reporters outside the hall, Siddique said the meeting should have been held by offering condolences to the families of the victims.

''How could we participate in a meeting along with a forest minister who was yet to visit the houses of those victims? So, we clearly said in the meeting that it is not the ministerial delegation but the Chief Minister of the state himself who should come here to convene the all-party meeting,'' he said.

Alleging delay in their arrival, a group of Youth Congress workers waved black flags at the convoy of ministers at Chungam in Bathery.

The agitators were pushed back by police personnel and shifted to their vehicle later.

The state government faced widespread criticism as no minister visited the protest-hit Wayanad to placate the residents in the wake of recent deaths.

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had already visited the family members of those who were killed in animal attacks.