Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Forests Minister A K Saseendran on Thursday said a draft bill was being framed to address the issue of wild animal attacks in various parts, especially the hilly areas, of the state as many of the directions in the central wildlife law were "impractical".
Saseendran told reporters that the state government decided to enact a law as the central government was not doing anything regarding its requests to amend the Wildlife Act 1972 to permit the killing of animals that pose a threat to human life and property.
He said that a legal opinion was sought from the Advocate General on whether the state can enact a law as the subject was in the concurrent list of the Constitution, and the law officer stated that it can be done.
"A draft law is being framed and it will be placed before the cabinet soon. If required, discussions will be held with stakeholders," the minister said.
"Many of the directions in the central law cannot be practically implemented," he said.
Additionally, the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) has been directed to prepare a project for a "special drive" to prevent wild animals from entering populated areas, he said.
The direction was issued in view of instances of wild animals, including elephant herds, entering populated areas -- especially in hilly regions -- in many districts of the state and causing loss of property, Saseendran said.
He said that, as the efforts of the forest personnel to prevent such incidents have not elicited the required results, "a direction has been issued to the CWW to prepare a project for a special drive".
"The CWW has been directed to take a decision by evening," he added.
The minister said that once the project is prepared, it has been directed that it be implemented in "hot spots" as a "crash programme" to send wild animals back into the forests.
Saseendran said that the state government was taking all these steps to alleviate the fear and apprehensions of the people living close to forests and safeguard their life and property from the recurring wild animal attacks.