Rahul Gandhi Urges Swift Action on Human-Animal Conflict in Wayanad, Kerala

In his Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to the families of those killed by wild animals on Sunday. He then met with the district officials and urged the Kerala government to promptly provide the financial compensation.

He asked the state administration to take all necessary measures to settle the complex problem of human-animal conflict in the state, which has cost three lives over the previous three weeks, despite the fact that he was unable to speak with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the phone.


"This morning, I attempted to contact the chief minister, but he was unavailable." After attending the review conference and pleading with the authorities to expedite the payment, Rahul told reporters in Kalpetta, "I'll try again."

Rahul stated, "I would ask the government to act swiftly and forcefully." Rahul said that he made many requests during the review meeting, including the urgent need to provide compensation, steps to prevent animal attacks, and a prompt approval to a well-equipped medical college facility in Kalpetta.

The fast reaction team of the forest department, which is now the sole early-warning system on wild animals entering human communities, needed to be expanded, as well.

Rahul started his day early on Saturday morning after taking a break from his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and arriving late at Kannur.

He promised them every assistance, including working with the state and federal administrations to find long-term solutions to the danger to lives and livelihood, as he paid a visit to the families of three of the victims of the recent wave of attacks by wild animals.

His first stop was the family of Ajeesh, who was murdered on February 10 by a wild elephant. The tusker stormed into Ajeesh's residence complex in Mananthavady, district, and stomped him to death.

Before seeing the family of Prajeesh, who was attacked by a tiger in December, Rahul first visited the family of V.P. Paul, a temporary watcher with the Vana Samrakshana Samithi (Forest Protection Forum), who was killed by a wild elephant in Pulpally on Friday.

"It is evident that this situation is problematic. There is an issue with the medical college as well as an issue with the pay. He said, "I've spoken to family members here who haven't received their pay.

When a family, particularly a poor one, loses a member, it is not appropriate to provide compensation after a lengthy period of time. Based on the information he received from the relatives of the victims, Rahul said, "The compensation needs to come immediately because they need the money."

The district headquarters, Kalpetta, is 30 kilometers from Mananthavady, where there is a medical college. However, it lacks proper equipment, thus patients are often sent to the medical college hospital in nearby Kozhikode, which is about 90 miles away.

"I want the authorities to know that the human-animal conflict is a problem that the people of Wayanad are facing. It has to be investigated since it is causing anguish and anxiety.

He declined to engage in political discourse, however, such as questioned why state forest minister A.K. Saseendran had yet to visit the impacted districts.

"It would be improper for me to discuss politics at this meeting since it is not a political gathering. I've come here because I believe that Wayanad is dealing with a very critical problem, and I don't want to stray by talking politics," he said.

He also informed the district authorities that the victims of the current wave of animal attacks should get full reimbursement for their medical costs from the government.

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