Kerala: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav To Hold Meeting To Discuss Wild Animal Attacks In Wayanad Today

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Wayanad: A special meeting will be held at Kalpetta Collectorate at 10 am today under the leadership of Union Forest and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to address the situation of wild animal attacks in Wayanad. The forest officials of Karnataka and Kerala Forest Departments will participate in the meeting. The meeting was called to discuss the widespread protests due to the release of radio-collared elephants from Karnataka to the Kerala forest border.

The minister visited the homes of those who were killed in wild animal attacks yesterday evening. Meanwhile, a new Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) has taken charge in Wayanad in the wake of continuous wildlife attacks. Eastern Circle CCF K Vijayanand has been appointed as the nodal officer to coordinate the activities related to human-animal conflicts.

Currently, the temporary office is at the Mananthavady North DFO Office Campus. A new room, including a war room, will be set up soon. Meanwhile, the Mananthavady Diocese will fast today, demanding that the wild animal attack in the Wayanad district be resolved soon for all. A demonstration and public meeting have been decided in Kalpetta city. The protest will start at 10 am this morning. The evening meeting will be inaugurated by Mar Joseph Pamplany, Metropolitan Archbishop's House, Thalassery. The bishops of Mananthavady and Thamarassery will participate in the meeting.

The mission of catching Belur Makhna has entered its 12th day. The elephant has been in the Karnataka area for the past 72 hours. The mission team continues to check the signal from the radio collar. The tracking expert and sharpshooter Nawab Ali Khan arrived in Wayanad to join the Belur Makhna Mission. A team of four technical experts from the Wildlife Institute also reached Wayanad. The officials stated that the elephant can be drugged only after crossing the Kerala border. Meanwhile, the tiger attacked two cows left to graze in the Pulpally area on the last day.

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