PIL Before Kerala High Court Seeks Peaceful Resolution Of Human-Wildlife Conflicts, Implementation Of CAG Recommendations

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved before the Kerala High Court by wildlife activist Angels Nair praying for peaceful resolution of wildlife conflicts in the State.The PIL also prays for the implementation of the recommendations dated 31.03.2022 made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) regarding preventive and mitigative measures in respect of Human Wildlife Conflict. According to the plea, the report of the CAG was tabled in the Kerala Assembly on 11.07.2024.Among other prayers, it has also challenged a resolution passed by the Chakittapara Panchayat in Kozhikode district to 'kill all wild animals' coming into the boundary of the panchayat.According to the plea, the resolution has resulted in anti-national feelings and ill-will among the people against wild animals, leading to more wildlife conflicts. Moreover, it is also stated that following suit, various political leaders have misled the public and made promises of passing laws for killing wild animals.The petition states that there is no serious issue of human casualty, cattle loss or crop damage for the last two years and the resolution was passed with an intention to turn the public against the wild animals and as a tool to gain support for the upcoming panchayat elections.Various instances of attack against wild elephants, leopards, wild gaurs were also outlined in the PIL. The petition also highlights the issue of RRT (Rapid Response Team) of the Forest Department brutally attacking wild elephants using hand bombs, guns and pellets- in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act.The petition mentions an incident in which a baby elephant was tranquillised and captured by the forest officials and kept at Muthanga Elephant camp. The PIL prays for a direction to release the elephant calf at the Muthanga Elephant Camp and to ban the illegal activities of the RRT repelling elephants. Further, a direction has been sought to release all tigers and leopards in captivity as per the law.Further, a prayer has been made to direct investigation into diversion of forestland for Fatima Mata Convent, St. George Cemetery, Kannothu Hospital and C.S.I Church by an independent agency. Further, it also prays for the appointment of an amicus curiae to look into the various instances of illegal conversion of forest land for non-forest purposes in violation of the Forest Conservation Act and to recover the same.The petitioner has also prayed for a direction to the central and state governments to frame rule and guidelines to restrain and prohibit publishing any speech, visual or audio material or usage of any discourteous language such as kill and eat wild animals, dangerous animal, disturbances of wildlife such or any other content through any media that challenges compassion towards animals or promotes sentiments. According to the plea, the same is against the fundamental duties under Article 51A (g), and the laws against propagating any activity inciting cruelty towards wild animals.Similar prayer has been made to direct the Press Council of India (10th respondent), to issue direction to all the visual, audio and printed media, not to publish any content portraying wild animals with discourteous languages which turns the public hostile towards wildlife and to enforce such directions. Also, prayer has been sought to direct the Election Commission of India (9th respondent), to issue an order prohibiting such speeches by political parties and candidates as part of the model code of conduct for the guidance for the and for their compliance.The petition has been moved by Mr. Angels Nair, General Secretary of Animal Legal Force Integration as a party-in-person.Case No: WP(PIL) 98/2025Case Title: Angels Nair v. Union of India and Ors.

PIL Before Kerala High Court Seeks Peaceful Resolution Of Human-Wildlife Conflicts, Implementation Of CAG Recommendations

K. Salma Jennath

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