Safe corridor, 24x7 control room... HC issues directives to Karnataka govt to avoid wildlife-human conflicts
The Karnataka High Court has ordered the establishment of a 24-hour control room to assist victims of wildlife-human conflicts in the state. Immediate medical attention must be provided, and relief rooms in the Hassan district are to be set up. Safety measures and an elephant corridor are also mandated.
FollowThe Karnataka High Court has responded to the increasing conflicts between wildlife and humans in the state by issuing an order for the establishment of a control room dedicated to assisting the victims. This control room will operate 24 hours a day and will be responsible for promptly relaying information to local and district hospitals, ensuring immediate medical attention for those injured in wildlife attacks.
The court acknowledged that victims of these conflicts often sustain severe injuries and, unfortunately, succumb to them due to the lack of immediate medical assistance. In response to a public petition filed by the Karnataka Crop Grower's Institution regarding elephant attacks in Hassan, Chief Justice PB Varale examined the case and issued a notice to the government, urging them to implement the court's order.
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The court emphasized the importance of providing immediate medical attention to wildlife-human conflict victims and instructed that this information should be promptly relayed to local, taluka, and district hospitals.Â
To achieve this, the control rooms must be operational round the clock. In the event of an incident, the staff at these control rooms are required to be promptly notified and provide immediate medical assistance and first aid to the injured.
To address the resource shortage faced by victims of wildlife attacks, the court called for the establishment of taluka-level relief rooms in the Hassan district.Â
The relief rooms shall include the Zonal Forest officer and the Tahasildar. The meeting should be conducted every two months. The officials are entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining records of resources received and providing relief to victims within 24 hours of receiving a complaint.
In an effort to raise awareness and disseminate information, the court ordered the government to extensively publicize these units through newspapers and channels. Additionally, the units should be prominently displayed at every Gram Panchayat office.
During the trial, the state government's lawyer submitted an affidavit detailing the steps taken to prevent conflicts between elephants and humans in the Hassan district. The affidavit confirmed the establishment of a 24/7 control room dedicated to receiving information about elephant-human conflicts in the area.
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To further enhance safety measures, an advanced warning system consisting of LED display boards, sirens, and a bulk SMS system will be implemented to warn residents about the proximity of elephants.
After carefully considering the affidavit, the High Court ordered the government to construct a safe elephant corridor aimed at preventing wildlife-human conflicts. The Chief Conservator of Forests and the Chief Wildlife Warden are tasked with monitoring these conflicts, with a requirement to convene four meetings per year to discuss the attacks. With this order, the court adjourned the petition.
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