Protect Human Life and Agriculture from Wild Animal Attack
Union Government Must Declare Compensation of 1 Crore & Job
The All India Kisan Sabha demands that the Union Government and the State Governments should protect lives of people from the growing menace of wild animal attacks. On 13th January, 2023 Thomas (50 Years) from Puthussery, in Mananthawady Taluk of Wayanad District of Kerala was killed by a Tiger at his homestead. The LDF led State Government of Kerala has provided Rs.10 lakh as initial compensation and job to one member of family. The tiger has been captured and caged. The LDF Government has taken a sensitive stand that provides some relief; the death of a family member is an irreparable loss that cannot be truly compensated. AIKS demands that the Union Government under whose jurisdiction forests and wildlife fall give a compensation of Rs.1crore and jobs for employable adults of the family. It is the responsibility of the authorities to protect human lives as much as they are concerned about wildlife protection.
The loss suffered by the farmers in the adjacent areas of the forests is immense since, thousands of hectares of fertile land has been left fallow due to wild animal menace. The people in the affected areas are living under extreme duress and mental trauma. This is a serious situation that demands immediate relief and comprehensive, permanent solution. As per data, deaths in wild life attacks have been doubled in the recent years. In Maharashtra, there were 54 deaths in 2017 due to tiger and leopard attacks and in 2020 it has increased to 88. Deaths due to elephant attack is above 300 across India per year. On an average, more than 1000 people are killed by wild animals in India every year.
The exploitation of forest resources from the British colonial era till date under the Indian State is a major reason for the spurt in attacks by wild animals. The natural species of trees within the forest areas were felled for generating revenue and replaced with trees like Teak, Mahogany, Eucalyptus, Pine etc., which are commercial wood varieties. These exotic species not only cause ecological damage, they also make the forests hostile to local wild life. This is a major reason for lack of food and water inside forests for wild life, forcing animals to enter human habitats. Ecological imbalances and flawed policies have resulted in big increase in numbers of some wild animal species, further contributing to the problem. Scientific culling by declaring vermin species also must be considered for monkeys, wild boars etc.
AIKS demands that the most affected forest fringe areas should be identified, revenue villages and farm land should be protected by erecting wire mesh fencing of 4-metre height along with trenches or elephant walls. The average cost of fencing will be Rs. 45 lakh per kilometre, this work can be undertaken as the material cost under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). Commercial plantations within the forest cover should be put under clear felling in a phased manner and replanted with natural species of wild plants so that the forest can provide feed and fodder to wild life. These two measures will facilitate permanent solution to this serious issue.
AIKS calls up on the State and lower-level units in affected forest-fringe areas to undertake massive campaign and struggles to ensure the above demands are met.
Dr Kuldeep Sing Tanwar President Himachal Kisan Sabha said that man vs animal conflict is in many states of India. In Himachal the government under peoples pressure had to make an announcement regarding the Monkey as Vermin for the period of one year in 11 districts of the state. Monkeys were declared as vermin in 38 tehsils and sub-tehsils of 10 districts in Himachal Pradesh. The period of this notification was extended for one year on December 20, 2017.
