Kochi: Despite Kerala having 29 MPs, an MP from Uttar Pradesh raised in Parliament the issue of farmers losing their lives in wild animal attacks in the state. Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, Rajya Sabha member from UP, raised the issue in the House after being approached by the Association of Independent Farmers of Kerala (KIFA).
KIFA alleged that the state MPs did not highlight the difficult situation of farmers in the highlands of Kerala in the House.
KIFA informed Radha Mohan Das Agarwal following the death of 36-year-old Thottathil Prajeesh, a resident of Koodallur near Sultan Bathery in Wayanad, in a tiger attack on December 9. Prajeesh is the second person to die in a tiger attack this year. On January 12, 51-year-old Thomas of Puthussery, Mananthavady, died after being attacked by a tiger.
In response to the question, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey told the Rajya Sabha that in the last five years, 555 people have lost their lives in attacks by wild animals in Kerala.
“Kerala MPs have a moral responsibility to raise important issues of farmers. Recently two farmers died in tiger attacks in Wayanad, but I fear the MP representing the electoral district is not aware”, said Alex Ozhukayil, KIFA President.
KIFA President says UP Deputy happily accepted to raise our problem
“Apart from the 29 MPs from Kerala, we have two ministers: V Muraleedharan, who represents Maharashtra, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, from Karnataka, and Congress MP, KC Venugopal, who represents Rajasthan. Since the 32 MPs were less concerned about our predicament, we approached an MP from Uttar Pradesh who happily agreed to raise our issue”, said KIFA President Alex Ozhukayil.
The reply revealed that the state has distributed only Rs 13.83 million as compensation to the dependents of 555 victims of wild animal attacks. “This means the average compensation per person was only Rs 2.49 lakh. Although the compensation announced in Kerala is Rs 10 lakh per death, dependents of many victims are denied compensation as they do not submit documents. For example, out of 145 applications submitted in recent days, only 125 have been approved. It has distributed a sum of Rs 21.36 million as compensation for property damage during the last five years. The average compensation is Rs 6,900”, he said.
In his reply, the Union Minister said that the Ministry had issued specific guidelines for each species on March 21, 2023 to reduce conflict between humans and wildlife. Section 11 of the Wild Life Protection Act empowers the head of the state to grant permission to any person to kill any wild animal which has become dangerous to human life or property, including crops, in the forest. ,
Responding to the question, the office of Forest Minister AK Saseendran said that Rs 10.48 million has been distributed as compensation to the victims of wild animal attacks in 2022-23. It will distribute Rs 94.90 lakh in 2023-24. The entire compensation will be distributed once the financial condition of the state improves. The forest department has constituted permanent rapid response teams (RRTs) and seven ERR temporary teams to reduce conflict between humans and animals. Additionally, they are taking measures to create more ERR. A system has been implemented to alert residents about the disappearance of wild animals in 65 peripheral areas of the forest. However, a Rs 625 million project to de-escalate the conflict was submitted but the Center rejected it, the office said.
“Until the farmers ignore their issue”
Dean Kuriakose, Lok Sabha MP from Idukki, said that the allegation that Kerala MPs are not concerned about the difficult situation of high-ranking farmers is not true. He raised this issue several times in the Lok Sabha. Additionally, a draft of private legislation was introduced to amend the Wildlife Protection Act to allow culling of wild animals that attack crops and pose a threat to humans. La Kifa is an apolitical organization that tries to establish that politicians do not care about farmers. All MPs from Kerala have raised the issue of wild animal attacks in the Lok Sabha”, he said.
