Wild animal attacks: Kerala forest minister voices against outsiders going into forests

Thiruvananthapuram: Amidst widespread concern about the increasing instances of wild animal attacks in Kerala, state's Forest Minister A K Saseendran on Wednesday said all such attacks are not happening in inhabited areas and wanted outsiders going inside forests to seek prior permission.

The minister also justified his remarks on human-animal conflict made during question hour in the Assembly on Tuesday.

When a legislator mentioned about a tribal man's death in a suspected elephant attack in Wayanad on Tuesday, Saseendran had told the Assembly that it was an issue of those who go inside the forest.

Everybody should think why people were going inside the forests, the minister had said adding that he was not going into details.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday he said, "It should be thought why (people) are going inside forests. That is what I said... everybody except tribal people requires permission from wildlife personnel to go inside the forests. I said about those who go inside the forests without permission."

He said everybody complains about wild animals staying in human settlements.

"But, this (all these attacks) is not happening in inhabited areas. But the government does not look into such technicalities and provide assistance to everyone," the minister added.

The forest minister's reaction came amidst the opposition parties intensifying their criticism against the Left government for allegedly not taking effective measures to protect the lives of people living in high range areas.