Kerala cabinet approves draft bill to allow controlled killing of wild animals

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala state cabinet has approved a draft bill to amend the Wildlife (Protection) Act, aiming to tackle the increasing human-wildlife conflicts in the state.

The Kerala cabinet, in a special meeting on Saturday, approved the draft legislation that would allow the killing of wild animals regardless of the schedule under which they are classified.

As the law falls under the Centre's purview, the State will seek the President's assent before implementation.

The government will table the Bill before the new Assembly session starting from Monday.

The move comes amid mounting protests in high-range regions over repeated attacks by elephants, wild boars, and other animals. Officials acknowledged that while procedural hurdles remain, it is politically significant with elections approaching.

The Cabinet has also cleared a proposal to classify violent wild animals as "vermin", which would legally enable their culling.

Another Bill approved allows private individuals to cut down sandalwood trees grown on their own land, subject to permission from the Forest Department.

All three Bills will be presented in the upcoming Assembly session.

The state has in recent years witnessed increasing incidents of attacks on humans, crop destruction, and economic losses for farmers. The government emphasised that the amendments will be implemented under strict regulations, aiming to strike a balance between wildlife conservation and public safety.

The bill empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden with the authority to issue such orders.