The Forest Minister’s stand on legislation gains relevance in the context of the recent Cabinet decision to drop a move to introduce the contentious Kerala Forest Amendment (Bill), 2024 in the Assembly following protests. (image for representation)
| Photo Credit: JOMON PAMPAVALLEY

The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly on Thursday (January 23, 2025) accusing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of “indifference” towards high-range communities confronted with rising incidents of human-wildlife conflict, even as Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran stressed the need for overhauling existing Central and State laws governing forests and wildlife.

Mr. Saseendran said Central and State forest laws needed amendments that prove useful to the people. At the same time, the government would initiate measures in this regard only with the public consent and keeping in mind the welfare of the farming community, he said.

He further said wild animals were exiting forest areas with wounds, pointing to the involvement of an “apolitical organisation.”

Mr. Saseendran’s stand on legislation gains relevance in the context of the recent Cabinet decision to drop a move to introduce the contentious Kerala Forest Amendment (Bill), 2024 in the Assembly following protests.

“The existing law (Kerala Forest Act) dates back to 1961. I don’t think you will take the stand that it does not require timely reform,” Mr. Saseendran said, adding that the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government took the first step in this regard in 2013.

Contradictory stance: Satheesan

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said Mr. Saseendran’s stand on the matter was, in fact, “contradictory” to what Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said when deciding to withdraw the Bill.

Mr. Satheesan announced the walkout after Speaker A.N. Shamseer declined an adjournment motion to halt the day’s business to discuss the plight of high-range communities with specific reference to the recent deaths of Sarojini, 52, a tribal woman from Uchakkulam hamlet near Nilambur, and Eldhose of Kothamangalam in elephant attacks.

Responding to the adjournment motion moved by Congress’ Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Mr. Saseendran opined that while the issue was serious and called for careful handling by the government, it did not warrant halting Assembly proceedings at this juncture.

The Opposition slammed Mr. Saseendran’s claim that there was no scientific basis for claiming that wild animal attacks were on the rise. Mr. Saseendran said the number of human casualties in human-wildlife conflicts had come down steadily from 114 in 2021-22 to 98, 94 and 12 in subsequent years.

Mr. Satheesan countered this claim saying that human-wildlife conflicts have sharply risen from 6,341 incidents in 2021-22 to 9,838 in 2023-24. He claimed that more than 1,000 people and 5,000 cattle have died since 2016.

Mr. Kuzhalnadan said the LDF government’s “dishonest” approach towards high-range and forest-fringe communities was “evident” in the Governor’s policy address to the Assembly which said “with concerted efforts, human casualties due to conflict with wild animals have started coming down.”

Alleging that the “voice of high-range communities have weakened under the LDF government,” the Opposition also drew attention to its plans to organise a march from January 25 to February 5 for expressing solidarity with the people in those regions and highlighting their issues.