Greens criticize smear campaign against environmental activists

Environmental organizations Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi (WPSS) and Coexistence Collective Kerala demanded an end to what they described as a campaign by stakeholders posing as farmers and Adivasis to portray environmental activists as anti-farmers.

In a statement issued on Monday (June 22) after a meeting of the organizations, WPSS president N. Badusha said that certain groups have launched a campaign against Coexistence Collective Kerala, a platform of environmental organizations, scientists, researchers, experts and activists from across the state. He said environmental activists have consistently taken a pro-farming stance on human-wildlife conflict, pressing forest departments and governments to find solutions while organizing protests demanding action.

The organizations said environmental activists had long warned that human-wildlife conflict would intensify following the cutting down of bamboo groves in Wayanad and the Western Ghats in favor of Gwalior Rayons, the introduction of acacia plantations on grasslands and deforestation. Environmentalists, they said, had led protests and faced legal action over these issues, while many who now came out as protectors of farmers and Adivasis supported the authorities and the forest department at the time.

They also noted that environmental activists opposed unregulated tourism activities in and around Wayanad, Munnar and Nelliyampathy forests, warning that such activities could drive wild animals into human habitations. Similar campaigns have been conducted against mining near forest areas, they said.

The organizations further said that environmental activists recently wrote to Chief Minister VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to oppose the appointment of a person they termed as anti-environment and hostile to forests and wildlife to the personal staff of Forest Minister Shibu Baby John. According to them, the letter did not contain any criticism of the farmers. However, associates of the individual were spreading rumors and targeting environmental activists in Wayanad, Palakkad and Vellarikkund, the statement said.

The groups said the government had failed to provide adequate protection to farmers, their crops and their lives. Reiterating their commitment to addressing human-wildlife conflict, they said the Coexistence Collective Kerala would continue to work towards a permanent solution to the problem.

MN Jayachandran presided.

Published – 23 Jun 2026 0:11 IST