Kozhikode (Kerala), May 20 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday called for timely amendments to the Centre’s Wildlife Protection Act to address the rising incidents of human-animal conflicts and to regulate the growing population of wild animals.
Addressing a press conference in Kozhikode, Vijayan noted that while population control measures have been effectively implemented for humans, the number of wild animals in forests continues to rise.
Adequate steps must be taken to regulate their population, he said, in response to a question about increasing human-animal conflicts in the state.
Vijayan pointed out that hunting is a globally accepted practice for controlling wild animal populations, but it remains banned in India.
“In our country, the authorities have taken a hands-off approach toward wild animals,” the CM said, adding that the state has been urging a change in this policy.
“But the Centre’s stance is against it. The state wants the Centre to revise this policy,” he added.
When asked about the recent incident involving CPI(M) MLA K U Jenish Kumar—who allegedly forced the release of a man held by the Forest Department in connection with the electrocution of a wild elephant near Konni—the CM responded, “No one has the right to take the law into their own hands.”
The law will take its course, the Left veteran added.