The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council’s Jagratha Commission has urged the Idukki district administration to withdraw an order requiring the removal of illegal fences that obstruct wildlife corridors, arguing that enforcement must distinguish forest encroachment from lawful rural homes.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 25, the commission said the order made under the Disaster Management Act had caused concern among residents of Kerala’s high-range areas. It warned that the measure could create a route for forest officials to enter human settlements and displace rural residents.
The panel said illegal construction on forest land should be removed, but argued that people living legally in the region should not be disrupted. It also challenged the district’s assessment that blocked wildlife movement was a major cause of rising animal attacks, calling for the Forest Department and district and State administrations to identify the underlying causes.
The commission called for lasting measures to address human-wildlife conflict rather than a unilateral order. It said the directive could set a precedent for similar action in other districts if it remained in force.
The statement also linked the dispute to residents’ concerns about the proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area notification for the Western Ghats. These are the commission’s arguments; the available report does not include a response from the district administration or details of any revision to the order.