Eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil has once again called for the repeal of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (WLPA). He stated that the Act is “anti-people” and that the Forest Department, which he believes is “helpless in protecting human lives from wildlife,” should be dismantled. Gadgil made these remarks during an online convention announcing the next phase of the Farmers’ Swaraj Satyagraha in Vellarikundu, Kasaragod. Local farmers have been protesting since Independence Day under the banner of the Farmers’ Swaraj Satyagraha Samithi, with the slogan: ‘Not only wildlife, humans too must live’.
Gadgil argued that the WLPA prioritises wildlife over the rights of citizens. He pointed out that the law prevents people from defending themselves when wild animals attack. “A person who kills a wild boar is treated as a criminal, but the law is silent when a wild boar kills a person,” he said. He believes this violates the Constitutional right to life and property, and therefore, the Act must be repealed.
To address the shortcomings of the current system, Gadgil proposed that the Biological Diversity Act of 2002 (BDA) should be implemented at the gram panchayat level with active public involvement. He explained that the BDA aims to protect India’s biodiversity while enabling local communities to manage, conserve, and benefit from natural resources. While the Act supports this participatory approach, Gadgil noted that it has largely remained on paper. Most conservation decisions are currently made through a system dominated by the Forest Department.
Gadgil criticised this centralised approach as ineffective, especially when people’s lives and property are at risk. He stressed the need for collecting comprehensive data and giving local communities a greater role in wildlife management. He observed that in some areas, the populations of animals like elephants have doubled, yet the Forest Department lacks reliable data to guide its actions. “When animals threaten people, they are often helpless,” he said, reiterating his belief that such a department should be disbanded.
Furthermore, Gadgil called for regulated measures to control aggressive wildlife. “Aggressive animals must be contained. Citizens should be allowed to kill and consume wild boars, which should be officially classified as vermin,” he suggested. He added that wasting meat by destroying animals is senseless, particularly in a country facing nutritional poverty.
The Kerala Assembly recently passed the Wildlife Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2025. This bill aims to give the state government the power to declare certain animals, including wild boars, as vermin for specific periods. However, this amendment will only become law if it receives assent from the President, as it modifies a central legislation under the Concurrent List.
Gadgil highlighted that many lives are lost annually across India due to wildlife attacks. He stated that victims deserve fair compensation. However, he noted that farmers and plantation workers, who suffer significant crop losses, are often overlooked. He mentioned a recent study in Maharashtra that estimated agricultural losses from wildlife attacks at Rs 40,000 crore. He urged for a similar study to be conducted in Kerala to understand the extent of these losses.
The meeting was presided over by K V Biju, chairman of the Farmers’ Swaraj Satyagraha Solidarity Committee.