<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Unrest brewing among residents near forest areas, especially the high range farmers, of Kerala is aggravating not only over the back to back deaths in man animal conflicts, but also over the moves to make the law on forest offences more stringent.</p><p>The latest death in man-animal conflict was that of Eldhose, 45, at Kothamangalam on the outskirts of Ernakulam district on Monday evening after being trampled by a wild elephant. </p>.Wild elephant attack: Kerala hamlet witnesses protest.<p>The incident triggered strong protest and the government assured immediate measures to enhance fencing of forest areas to prevent entry of wild animals to human settlements.</p><p>Last month the state government introduced the Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, which provides for stringent actions and enhanced fines for forest offences.</p><p>The Catholic church and the Kerala Independent Farmers' Association are strongly opposing it. The opposition Congress led United Democratic Front is also demanding the government to revoke the draft bill.</p><p>Bishop George Madathikandathil of the Kothamangalam diocese said while addressing a protest march on Tuesday that the priority of laws should be welfare of the people rather than animals. He also demanded the government to revoke the draft bill and take steps to ensure safety of people from man - animal conflict.</p>.Lord Ayyappa devotee injured in elephant attack in Karnataka .<p>The major objection against the draft bill are the enhanced powers to the forest officials even in the lower ranks to arrest individuals suspected to be involved in forest offences without warrant and steep increase in the penal provisions for various offences like littering forest areas.</p><p>While the contention of the government is that the new bill aims at curbing illegal acts in forests and thereby avoiding man-animal conflicts, the high-range farmers are having apprehensions that the proposed law will be widely misused and make life of those living close to forest areas miserable.</p><p>Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said that amidst its miserable failure in curbing man-animal conflict, the left-front government is making the life of tribal community people living in forest areas as well as farmers miserable by bringing in new laws. </p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Unrest brewing among residents near forest areas, especially the high range farmers, of Kerala is aggravating not only over the back to back deaths in man animal conflicts, but also over the moves to make the law on forest offences more stringent.</p><p>The latest death in man-animal conflict was that of Eldhose, 45, at Kothamangalam on the outskirts of Ernakulam district on Monday evening after being trampled by a wild elephant. </p>.Wild elephant attack: Kerala hamlet witnesses protest.<p>The incident triggered strong protest and the government assured immediate measures to enhance fencing of forest areas to prevent entry of wild animals to human settlements.</p><p>Last month the state government introduced the Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, which provides for stringent actions and enhanced fines for forest offences.</p><p>The Catholic church and the Kerala Independent Farmers' Association are strongly opposing it. The opposition Congress led United Democratic Front is also demanding the government to revoke the draft bill.</p><p>Bishop George Madathikandathil of the Kothamangalam diocese said while addressing a protest march on Tuesday that the priority of laws should be welfare of the people rather than animals. He also demanded the government to revoke the draft bill and take steps to ensure safety of people from man - animal conflict.</p>.Lord Ayyappa devotee injured in elephant attack in Karnataka .<p>The major objection against the draft bill are the enhanced powers to the forest officials even in the lower ranks to arrest individuals suspected to be involved in forest offences without warrant and steep increase in the penal provisions for various offences like littering forest areas.</p><p>While the contention of the government is that the new bill aims at curbing illegal acts in forests and thereby avoiding man-animal conflicts, the high-range farmers are having apprehensions that the proposed law will be widely misused and make life of those living close to forest areas miserable.</p><p>Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said that amidst its miserable failure in curbing man-animal conflict, the left-front government is making the life of tribal community people living in forest areas as well as farmers miserable by bringing in new laws. </p>