Kerala govt 'complacent' over wild animal attacks: Congress

Kochi, Jan 25 (PTI) The opposition Congress in Kerala on Saturday accused the Left government in the state of being "complacent" on the issue of protecting the people and their property from wild animal attacks.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan claimed that there were over 60,000 wild animal attacks in Kerala in the last 6-7 years which resulted in around 1,000 human deaths.

Besides that, over 8,000 people suffered serious injuries, more than 5,000 cattle were killed and crops in over 10,000 hectares of land were destroyed in the attacks, he claimed while speaking to reporters here.

Satheesan said people of the hilly regions in the state were living in fear for their lives and in penury as they are unable to leave their homes for their livelihood.

"However, the government has not taken any steps, like putting up fences to prevent wild animal encroachment, in the last few years to address the concerns of the people.

"They have not even provided compensation to over 4,000 affected persons. There are no arrangements made for treatment of those who suffered serious injuries," he alleged.

The Congress leader said in order to highlight these issues and formulate a concrete proposal to resolve them, his party was going to carry out a 'yatra' from Saturday in the hilly regions of the state.

The 'yatra', which will commence from Kannur district in the evening, will also indicate the party's support for the people of the hilly region.

He said the 'yatra' was also aimed at demanding withdrawal of the Bill to amend the Kerala Forest Act, but the legislation has been withdrawn.

On the other hand, state Forest Minister A K Saseendran alleged that the 'yatra' was intended to earn political mileage and nothing else.

Satheesan told media that the other issues to be raised as part of the yatra would be the alleged inclusion of inhabited areas in the buffer zones around reserved forests and the alleged failure of the agriculture sector in the state.

"Changes are required in the Wildlife Act. We will prepare a concrete proposal to resolve these issues after the yatra gets over," he added. PTI HMP HMP ROH