Kerala wild elephant attack: forest department takes responsibility for victim’s children

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Kerala Forest Minister Shibu Baby John has announced that the Forest department will take over the responsibility of the two minor children of Suryanelli native Mari, who was killed in a wild elephant attack at Chinnakkanal in Idukki on Monday (June 8).

The State government will provide an initial financial assistance of ₹5 lakh to the family, which will be split into two and placed in fixed deposits under specially created accounts.

The department will sponsor the education of both children until they turn 18 and will also bring them under a food ration system. The children will be provided ₹5,000 every month for their other expenses using funds mobilised by department staff and the public.

Efforts are also being made to help the children access benefits of schemes including the Centre-backed Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana. The Women and Child Development department will also be consulted to extend any additional facilities, Mr. John told mediapersons here on Tuesday.

Moreover, a Forest department official will be appointed as a dedicated mentor to personally look after their needs and monitor the well-being of the children, who were abandoned by their father years ago.

“While such measures will not completely solve their woes, they represent a new step forward in the Forest department’s commitment towards those affected by wildlife attacks,” the Minister added.

Mr. John also said that the State government is preparing a comprehensive project proposal aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflicts. The proposal will be submitted to the Centre as part of efforts to develop a permanent solution to the issue. He is scheduled to meet the Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change on July 9, during which he will present a detailed overview of Kerala’s ground realities and seek necessary amendments to Central forest laws.