Catholic  Church enters man-animal conflict

By  our  Religious Correspondent

Kochi, Feb  12 IVC)    The Major  Archbishop  of the Syro-malabar Church, Mar Raphael  Thattil  strongly criticized the State Government  and the officials of the Forest Department  following their failure  in protecting  life and property  of innocent persons from the attacks of wild elephants.

                Thattil said in a statement here yesterday that it  was not  justifiable at all losing  precious lives of  innocent  human beings to the wickedness of  wild elephants. The  incident in which  a youth  was  killed by a wild elephant on Feb 10 at Mananthavady could not  be justified. It  was  a matter of shame   for the State  and called  upon the appropriate  authorities  to take immediate steps  for preventing  repeat of such  events in future , the statement added.

The Major Archbishop demanded that  exemplary  action should be taken against  those  were  responsible for  the  death of  a  farmer in Mananthavady  by the  attack of  the  wild  elephant. The  Kerala Regional Latin Catholic Church (KRLCC)  Vice  President , Joseph Jude  said in a separate statement here  yesterday that the State Government  should ensure the safety  and protection  of innocent  human beings  in the  hill areas of the State.

                It  was  not  enough  for  the Government  to take precautionary  measures  when  the innocent lives were destroyed  by elephants  and other wild animals  and or  disasters struck   but  effective  steps  should  initiated  with  a  view  to  preventing  loss of  lives  and disasters occurred, the statement added. KRLCC’s  statement  claimed that  42  persons were by the  elephants in the  State during  the  tenure  of  the  Government  headed  by  Piniarayi Vijayan.