States » SouthPosted at: Sep 30 2026 12:40PM


Human-wildlife conflict panel lacks farmers, tribal representatives, wildlife experts: Environmental groups

Kochi, Sep 30 (UNI) Environmental organisations in Kerala have questioned the composition of the State Government's advisory committee constituted to address the increasingly severe human-wildlife conflict in the State, alleging that it lacks adequate representation of farmers, tribal communities and wildlife experts with experience in Kerala.
The organisations demanded that the committee be dissolved and reconstituted with representatives of traditional and hill farmers affected by wildlife attacks, tribal communities possessing traditional knowledge of human-wildlife coexistence, and experienced wildlife biologists, scientists and other experts.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, they alleged that the present committee was “a farce” and questioned the government's intention behind its constitution. They said the panel did not include experts from the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), which, according to them, has been conducting research on human-wildlife conflict for nearly three decades.
The organisations also questioned the absence of wildlife experts, biologists and scientists who have been associated with advising the Forest Department on wildlife-related issues over the years.
They alleged that the committee included persons who had been campaigning against forests and wildlife and calling for the killing of wild animals. They also questioned the inclusion of persons associated with hotel, tourism and nursery businesses, alleging that their presence raised questions about the relevance of the panel to conflict mitigation.
The organisations further alleged that one person included as an expert had neither sufficient familiarity with Kerala nor experience in studying human-wildlife conflict in the State.
Referring to Ranjit Singh, whom they described as a prominent wildlife conservationist in India and a member of the committee, the organisations alleged that the Forest Department might be attempting to use his presence to advance a “hidden agenda”. The allegation was made by the organisations and was not independently established.
They said the government should focus on providing relief to forest-fringe villages facing continuing human-wildlife conflict and reducing tensions between local communities and wildlife.
The statement said a meaningful advisory mechanism should include representatives of the farming communities most affected by wildlife incursions, wildlife experts and scientists, tribal communities and other stakeholders with practical experience of human-wildlife coexistence.
The statement was signed by M N Jayachandran of SPCA Idukki, N Badusha of Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, T Santhosh of ANEC Trust, Veena Maruthoor of Co-Existence Collective Kerala, Anwar Sadath of Pralayaananthara Nilambur, Sreedevi Kartha of PFA, K A Sulaiman of Fire Free Forest, T V Rajan of Paschimaghatta Samrakshana Samithi, Sasreendra Babu of Save Nelliyampathy Campaign and Rashmi R of Sahyadri Koottayma.
UNI DS
Tags: #Human-wildlife conflict panel lacks farmers# tribal representatives# wildlife experts: Environmental groups
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