Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav visited the homes of the deceased individuals on Wednesday, who tragically lost their lives in recent wild animal attacks in Wayanad. Arriving directly from Bangalore for a two-day visit, Minister Yadav met with the families of the victims to offer condolences, as stated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
During his visit, Yadav paid his respects at the homes of the victims, including Prajeesh, who was attacked by a tiger, and Paul and Ajeesh, who tragically lost their lives in elephant attacks.
“Met the families of Prajeesh, Paul, and Ajeesh, who lost their lives in the man-animal conflict in Wayanad recently. Their loss is irreparable,” Yadav shared in a post on ‘X’.
Acknowledging the intricate nature of human-animal conflicts in the region, the minister pledged unwavering support both politically and administratively.
“Human-animal conflict remains a significant challenge in the region. The government is committed to providing all necessary support, both politically and administratively, to the officials and scientists working in this field to address such issues. There must be a resolution to this problem,” the statement expressed.
“Given that two states, Karnataka and Kerala, are involved in this, discussions are underway with the relevant officials from both states,” it further added.
Yadav emphasized the government’s dedication to finding practical solutions and announced plans to meet with local administration.
“I will be meeting with officials of the local administration and NGOs working in this field on Feb 22nd. More details will follow after that meeting. We are guided by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision that both the environment and human life are equally important and should be safeguarded,” the Minister affirmed.
“While animals deserve compassion, human lives must be protected with the aid of modern technology,” he added.
Earlier, in a separate post on ‘X’, the Union Minister shared his interaction with a young child who lost her father in the recent man-animal conflict.
“It deeply saddens me to learn that young Alna lost her father Ajeesh in the man-animal conflict in Wayanad. I greatly admire her strength of character, which she displayed during our meeting, and the clarity with which she expressed her expectations from the government, even amidst grief. Alna is truly a daughter to be proud of. I assured her that the @BJP4India government at the Centre stands by her family,” Yadav posted.
The Environment Minister also visited the Bandipur Tiger Reserve to assess the state of man-animal conflicts in the region on his way to Wayanad.
“On my way to Wayanad, I visited the Bandipur Tiger Reserve to review the state of man-animal conflicts in the region. We discussed measures that can be implemented to ensure human-animal coexistence,” Yadav shared in another post on ‘X’.
Additionally, the Union Minister engaged in a detailed discussion with his party leaders and farmer representatives in Wayanad.
“At Wayanad, I had an in-depth discussion with BJP workers and farmer leaders. They presented us with a list of demands. I briefed them on the initiatives we are undertaking under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi,” Yadav mentioned.
His visit follows Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s decision to abruptly halt his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Varanasi and return to his constituency in response to public protests regarding the deaths caused by wild elephant attacks.
