The issue of human-wildlife conflict in Kerala is escalating into a new dimension as the influential Catholic Church and the state government have now taken opposing stances. In the last four days alone, Kerala has witnessed four deaths from elephant attacks. In the 2024-25 financial year, 58 people have died due to wildlife attacks, with elephant attacks accounting for 16 of these deaths so far. The latest fatalities occurred in Wayanad, where two people were killed on consecutive days. Today, the opposition is observing a 12-hour hartal in the district, accusing the state government of failing to address the human-wildlife conflict.
Notably, the Catholic Church, whose followers are predominantly found in the agrarian and farming communities near forest areas, has sharply criticised Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran. Bishops from the Thamarassery and Kanjirappally dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church have alleged that the state government and the forest department are not taking adequate measures to prevent wildlife attacks.
Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil of the Thamarassery diocese and Bishop Mar Jose Pulickal of the Kanjirappally diocese voiced their criticism during a public event in Kanjirappally on February 12. “We doubt whether a government even exists in this state. The measures taken by the forest department are targeting farmers,” Bishop Inchananiyil stated.
The bishop even demanded the resignation of the forest minister, questioning whether the government and the forest department bear no responsibility in preventing wildlife attacks.
In response, Minister Saseendran commented that the demand for his resignation made by the bishops carries a political angle. He also remarked that the generally positive “notion about bishops should not be tainted” by such statements.
On February 9, Thalassery Arch Bishop Mar Joseph Pamplany criticised the state government’s recent budget, accusing it of neglecting farmers. Following Sasheendran’s sharp remarks, more bishops are expected to voice their discontent with the state government—a development that could prove challenging for the LDF as it gears up for the fast-approaching local body elections.
Meanwhile, the forest department is advancing a 10-mission plan to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. This initiative was approved following a high-level meeting convened by the forest minister on February 12. The plan includes advanced surveillance along the usual travel routes of elephants and other wild animals, as well as the establishment of a volunteer force in areas prone to human-wildlife conflict. It also aims to leverage the knowledge and traditional wisdom of tribal communities to prevent such conflicts.
However, critics argue that this new programme is merely a rehash of an earlier initiative announced by the forest department when wildlife attacks had escalated in the state.
