HC highlights Tribal Safety amid Wildlife Threats, urges action on State’s Disaster strategy

The Kerala High Court has taken note of the State’s comprehensive roadmap to manage human-wildlife conflict in the Aralam and Wayanad regions. The plan, submitted by the Chief Secretary, outlines immediate measures to protect tribal communities, improve forest habitats, and prevent wildlife-related incidents, signaling judicial oversight on effective disaster management.

The Chief Secretary’s report, filed before a Division Bench of Dr. Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian, details a three-pronged strategy addressing physical barriers, behavioural interventions, and forest habitat enhancement, while factoring in tribal welfare and livelihoods. The State has formally recognised human-wildlife conflict as a “State Specific Disaster” since March 2024, enabling structured responses including three-tier coordination committees, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), Primary Response Teams (PRTs), and community-based vigilance groups.

Relief mechanisms under the State Disaster Response Fund have been revised, and emergency operations centres along with solar fencing and remote monitoring systems are being deployed to strengthen preventive measures.

The Bench acknowledged improvements in essential services for tribal settlements, including the provision of 30,000 litres of drinking water daily through GPS-enabled tanker lorries and funding allocations by local self-governments until May 2026. The Court observed the report’s emphasis on categorizing action priorities as “critical,” “high,” and “medium” and underscored the importance of monitoring implementation.

Matter has been adjourned to May 22, 2026, to assess the effectiveness of the State’s interventions.

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