Representative image.
Credit: DH Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: As the Kerala government goes ahead with amendments in the Wildlife Protection Act citing man-animal conflict, environmentalists are stepping up the campaign against the alleged moves to dilute the wildlife protection laws.
Apart from social media campaigns and petitions to the government, an online signature campaign has also been launched against the proposed amendments. The signature campaign coincides with the wildlife week celebrations across the country from October 2 to 8.
Coexistence Collective-Kerala, a forum of environmentalists in the state, is spearheading the campaign.
The signature campaign titled 'Forest need guardians, not hunters', demands the Kerala government to withdraw the Kerala Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill which is now under consideration of the assembly subject committee.
The key concerns regarding the proposed amendments is with regard to relaxing of the norms on killing wild animals. It provides for shooting of wild animals that enter residential areas and empowers the government to declare them as vermin wild animals specified in Schedule II.
"The proposed amendments is aimed at legalising reckless killings instead of addressing the real causes of conflict — habitat loss, encroachment, quarrying and destruction of corridors," says the collective which comprises known environmentalists.
They urge the government to adopt scientific and community-based solutions to human–wildlife conflict.
The collective also accuses all mainstream political parties of succumbing to pressure tactics of vested interest lobbies.