Greens question the expertise of Kerala Human-Wildlife Conflict Commission members

The Kerala government’s establishment of a seven-member state-level advisory committee on human-wildlife conflict mitigation has drawn criticism from environmental groups, who have questioned the inclusion of members who lack expertise in the field.

The committee, set up on a proposal by the state forest and wildlife department, includes conservationist MK Ranjitsinh along with hospitality professional, horticulture entrepreneur and Baiju Paul Mathews, who was reportedly associated with the Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA), which has campaigned aggressively for farmers’ rights. Mr. Mathews had earlier lodged complaints against the action of forest department officials.

Environmental groups have questioned the composition of the advisory committee, saying it lacks adequate representation of Adivasi communities, or traditional forest-dwelling farmers, who regularly face wildlife-related issues; preservationists; scientists; biologists; animal behaviorists; and NGOs with experience in human-wildlife conflict resolution.

The Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti (WPSS) has expressed concern over the criteria adopted by the government to select the members of the advisory committee, particularly the inclusion of people it says have no experience in dealing with human-wildlife conflicts.

WPSS president N. Badusha described Mr. Ranjitsinh as a prominent conservationist but said he was only included as a puppet to lend credibility to the jury.

‘farce’

“Several scientists, biologists and experts in Kerala who have studied human-wildlife conflict and advised the government on the issue have been left out. The committee is a farce and an exercise in creating the impression of action. Its composition is unlikely to produce meaningful recommendations to resolve the conflict. At the same time, at least one member of the committee has already shown hostility towards forests and wildlife,” said panusha, and could potentially contribute to further development.

Besides Mr. Ranjitsinh, the other members of the advisory committee are IC Balakrishnan, MLA; Michael Dominic of Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island, Kochi; Arun Zachariah, former Principal Forest Veterinary Officer; Jose Jacob, Managing Director, Home Grown Nursery and Farms, Kanjirapally; Anand Kumar, Senior Scientist, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru; and Mr. Mathews.

MN Jayachandran, animal rights activist and state president of the Samasrishti Federation of Animal Rights Organizations of Kerala, said the formation of the committee could exacerbate rather than resolve human-wildlife conflict. “Some members of the committee supported the killing of wild animals as a means of resolving the conflict and their inclusion raises serious concerns. Someone has seriously misled the forest minister. The chief minister should look into the matter more seriously than assume that everything the minister said is correct.”

The Animal and Nature Ethics Community (ANEC) Trust questioned the inclusion of Mr Mathews, citing his alleged opposition to the Department of Forestry and Wildlife.

“The contributions of some members of the panel to resolve human-wildlife conflicts are unknown to the public. Only persons with proven experience should have been included in the committee considering its sensitive mandate. The government should immediately reconstitute the panel by including experts in the field,” said TS Santhosh, legal representative of ANEC.

“For a balanced perspective”

When contacted, Mr Mathews said he intended to contribute a balanced view of the problem between humans and wildlife.

“I have done several scientific studies on human-animal conflict and submitted recommendations to the Kerala High Court as suggested by the court. Perhaps it was this work that led to my inclusion in the advisory committee. My aim is to contribute a balanced view to solving the problem – to enable farmers to cultivate their land and people to live in hilly areas without fear, while ensuring that wild animals have the space and opportunity to survive.”

KIFA chairman Alex Ozhukayil said Mr Mathews was a member of the organisation. “He is a member of KIFA but he does not represent KIFA in any official capacity. He is only a member. He became a member of the advisory committee in his individual capacity and not as a representative of KIFA,” Mr Ozhukayil said.

P. Pugazhendi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala, did not immediately respond to the criticism.

Published – 30 Sep 2026 07:00 IST