Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday raised concerns about the escalating human-animal conflict in her constituency, Wayanad, and urged the government to increase compensation for those affected by it. During the ongoing winter session of Parliament, she brought up the issue in her maiden question in the Lok Sabha, highlighting the growing number of incidents involving wild animals, especially elephants, in the region.
“In my constituency of Wayanad, 90 people have been affected by this conflict over the past year. Just yesterday, there was an attack by wild elephants on a person. So, I would like to urge the government to increase the compensation, particularly for farmers and ordinary people who are bearing the brunt of this ongoing issue,” Priyanka Gandhi said during the Question Hour.
The Congress leader’s appeal follows a surge in attacks by wild animals, particularly elephants, which have caused significant damage to crops and even resulted in fatalities in certain cases. Her remarks drew attention to the urgent need for enhanced support for the victims, who are primarily farmers and rural residents, as they face financial hardships due to the damage caused by these incidents.
In response, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and stated that a team of central government officials had already visited the affected areas in Wayanad. He mentioned that the visit, which covered three taluks in the constituency, was part of ongoing efforts in collaboration with the forest department and the district administration to address the situation.
Minister Yadav also assured that the government was taking necessary steps to mitigate human-animal conflict in the region, with a focus on finding long-term solutions that would protect both human lives and wildlife.
Priyanka Gandhi’s call for increased compensation underscores the growing concern over the impact of human-animal conflict, particularly in rural areas where agriculture and livelihoods are directly affected by such incidents.
