Idukki (Kerala) |Kerala Forest Minister Shibu Baby John on Tuesday said the traditional knowledge of tribal communities will be utilised to reduce human-wildlife conflict and improve forest conservation.

"There is no one who knows the forests better than tribal communities," the minister said, adding that their traditional knowledge should be documented and utilised in forest management.

He was speaking during interactions with residents of Mannan and Paliyan tribal settlements in Idukki as part of 'Oorunarvu', an initiative of the Forest Department to understand and address issues faced by tribal communities.

John said a Rs 50-crore proposal for eco-tourism development in Kumily would be submitted to the Centre. This includes Rs 20 crore for the renovation of the stalled Tiger Museum.

The minister said tourism projects would be designed to ensure better income opportunities for tribal communities.

Traditional knowledge is gradually being lost within tribal communities and needs to be documented, he said.

Employment opportunities would also be ensured for tribal youth in activities linked to forests and eco-tourism projects of the Forest Department, John said.

He said the government policy was to visit each tribal settlement, identify its specific problems and find solutions.

The minister also said that, for the first time, two tribal representatives -- Mannan community leader Raman Raja Mannan and Cholanaykkan community representative Vinod from Nilambur -- had been included in the Wildlife Board chaired by the chief minister.

Responding to demands from residents, John said steps would be taken to address drinking water shortages and repair roads leading to tribal settlements. Streetlights would also be installed, he said.

The government would consider providing fibre boats to fishing Eco Development Committees (EDC) as the shortage of bamboo had affected the construction of traditional rafts, the minister said.

This was John's second visit to a tribal settlement under the Oorunarvu programme.

Around 200 people have received temporary employment through various EDCs in Thekkady, while 43 people have secured permanent jobs as watchers, he said.

Representatives of the Mannan community, Shaji Panayan and Biju T, said human-wildlife conflict had declined in the areas and exploitation by middlemen had been eliminated since the formation of EDCs.

The minister also honoured environmentalist and forest conservationist Aruvi and later visited a Van Dhan Vikas Kendra workshop run by 15 self-help groups.

At present, 450 people belonging to 164 families live in Paliyan settlements, while 1,266 people belonging to 357 families reside in Mannan settlements, the forest department statement added.