Biodiversity study needed before opening cart road: Min

Kochi: Forest minister Shibu Baby John said that a study on the biodiversity of the area containing the damaged old cart road on the Aluva-Munnar stretch has to be conducted before taking a decision on the demand to open the stretch. The minister examined the stretch in Kuttampuzha, Kothamangalam, on Monday morning. He was accompanied by politicians, including Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, and forest officials.

The old cart road was damaged in 1924 and remained closed since then. “We travelled along 6-7km stretch on the road in the morning. We understood that, despite the demand from the locals to open it, there is a need to study the biodiversity in the area and the impact of opening the road. A committee comprising experts will conduct the study," John said.

The minister said a lot of hurdles have to be faced to mitigate the human-wildlife conflicts plaguing the state, which has already identified hotspots of conflicts, and a comprehensive project is needed for that. He said a meeting with chief minister V D Satheesan would be held on Monday night to discuss the plan.

John said the funds earmarked for the forest department over the years were negligible and highly inadequate to meet the necessities and implement mitigation measures.

“Forest department is receiving all the blame for the human-wildlife conflicts. Such an approach needs to be changed. The department requires funds for buying equipment, tools and increasing manpower as part of mitigation measures. In view of this, the govt will extend support to the department with all its seriousness,” he said.

The minister acknowledged that the mitigation measures are terrain-based. He said a three-layered defence system is needed in places where the conflicts are high. He said the department plans to introduce AI-based sound and light tools as the first defence layer. Solar fencing in the second layer and hanging 12ft-high lashing belt from China as the third layer will have to be implemented.

The previous govt spent Rs 80,000 crore for various projects under KIIFB. However, they gave only Rs 130 crore to the forest department. He acknowledged there is no complete solution for the human-wildlife conflict anywhere in the world, but there are only mitigation measures.

He also said there is plan to increase compensation in the man-animal conflict incidents.