Kerala Leads with Pioneering Wildlife Protection Amendment
Kerala becomes the first Indian state to amend the Central Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The objective is to reduce human-animal conflict, with the Bill reflecting Kerala’s focus on protecting human life and wildlife. The amendment awaits presidential approval.
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In a significant legislative move, Kerala has emerged as the first state in India to amend the Central Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The Kerala Assembly passed the landmark Bill on Wednesday, aiming to mitigate the rising instances of human-animal conflicts within the state.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasized this development as a crucial step towards harmonizing human-wildlife interactions and ensuring justice for communities residing near forest boundaries. Sharing his thoughts on 'X', a social media platform, the CM underscored Kerala's unwavering commitment to preserving both human and wildlife interests.
The Bill, which will be forwarded to the Raj Bhavan for presidential consideration, offers the state government the authority to declare wildlife as vermin and take swift action when necessary. State Forest Minister A K Saseendran noted the pressing need for state-specific amendments due to unmet requests for timely changes from the central government.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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