Team Goemkarponn
PORVORIM: The Goa government will formulate a Human–Animal Wildlife Conflict Management Policy after examining the strategies adopted by Kerala and Karnataka, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane informed the Legislative Assembly.
Responding to concerns raised in the House, Rane said the State has no objection to introducing a dedicated policy to deal with the increasing instances of wild animals entering human settlements. He added that the proposal will be discussed with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant before finalising the structure of the policy.
According to the minister, the Forest Department will reach out to authorities in Kerala and Karnataka to obtain details of their existing policies and study the mechanisms adopted by those states. Based on this assessment, Goa plans to incorporate suitable best practices while preparing its own framework. Rane indicated that the government aims to place a preliminary policy framework before the House before the current Assembly session concludes.
The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, who urged the government to introduce a comprehensive policy similar to those implemented in neighbouring states. Alemao pointed out that Kerala and Karnataka have structured systems and dedicated budgets to manage human–wildlife conflicts and suggested Goa adopt a similar approach.
Acknowledging the growing concern, Rane told the House that animals such as panthers, bisons, monkeys and leopards have been increasingly spotted near residential areas across the State. He stressed the need to maintain a healthy ecosystem within forest regions so that wildlife remains within its natural habitat.
The minister further informed that ₹3.30 crore has been allocated to address human–animal conflict in Goa. As part of the mitigation efforts, the Forest Department will also carry out mapping of areas affected by monkey menace and collect detailed data to identify hotspots and plan targeted interventions.
During the discussion, legislators from both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress voiced concern over the growing wildlife disturbances in various parts of the State. Several members highlighted the damage caused by monkeys to crops and fruit-bearing trees in farms and residential areas, resulting in significant losses for farmers.
