The government has convened a high-level meeting here on July 23 to find a solution to the man-animal conflict that has assumed alarming proportions in the Malampuzha constituency in Palakkad following a series of attacks on human settlements by wild animals.

An official communication issued by Forest Minister K. Raju said the meeting would be attended by the Palakkad District Collector, Forest officials and presidents of the panchayats bordering forests.

As many as seven persons have lost their lives and crops worth lakhs of rupees have been destroyed by marauding wild animals, mostly in the Malampuzha, Puthupariyaram, Akathethara and Puthussery gram panchayats over the last two years.

Ineffective methods

Residents in the area are concerned over the lingering presence of elephant herds. Complaining that most of the methods adopted to ward off the pachyderms were ineffective, the local people had joined hands to announce an agitation against the government’s failure to address the issue.

Malampuzha MLA and chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee V.S. Achuthanandan had also brought the issue to the notice of the Forest Minister and sought a meeting to find a solution to the menace.

The government recently enhanced the compensation for loss of life due to wild animal attacks. Last month, the Minister had informed the Assembly that moves were on to deploy kumki elephants to prevent wild elephants from raiding crops and human settlements.

Seven persons have lost their lives and crops worth lakhs of rupees have been destroyed over the last two years.

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