Farmers call for coordinated action by Central and State governments for mitigation of human-wildlife conflict
Conveying their concern over the persistence of wildlife-human conflict, farmers' associations in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts have urged the Central and State governments to get their acts together to mitigate the problem.
While the Union government must launch a centralised helpline, the State government has to equip the forest personnel with walkie-talkies and other paraphernalia to address the issue, the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association has emphasised.
Citing the recurring instances of human deaths due to attack by elephants in recent months, Eesan Murugasamy, Founder, Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association, said the victims mainly constitute farmers and agricultural workers.
The helpline will enable farmers to alert the Forest Department about presence of wild animals outside forest boundaries without loss of time, paving way for prompt action before damage is caused to humans and agricultural crops, Mr. Murugasamy said.
Likewise, forest personnel at the field level must be equipped with wireless walkie-talkies for ease of communication with superior officers while patrolling in the forest areas.
Farmers in Udumalpet in Tiruppur district and Mettupalayam-Karamadai belt of Coimbatore district who have been facing substantial losses due to damages caused to agricultural and horticultural crops by wild animals called for a decisive categorisation of wild pigs that venture out of the forest areas and destroy crops, and herds that move deep into human habitation and stays put in thickets, in management of human-wildlife conflict.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, it is learnt, has initiated action for establishment of a Centre of Excellence for human-wildlife conflict management, to find amicable solutions through advanced technologies, including AI, for management of human-wildlife conflicts.
Based on interactions with the stakeholders, the ministry has decided to develop appropriate strategies for plausible actions to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
An advisory to deal with human wildlife conflict issued by the ministry during 2021 recommends coordinated interdepartmental action, identification of conflict hotspots, adherence to standard operating procedures, establishment of rapid response teams, formation of State and district level committees to review the quantum of ex-gratia relief, issuing guidance and instructions for expedited payments, and provision of adequate funds for ex-gratia relief to be paid to the affected persons in the case of death and injury.
Species-specific guidelines were issued during 2023 for mitigation of conflicts arising from various wild animals: elephant, gaur, leopard, snake, crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, wild pig, bear, blue bull and blackbuck.
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