A major controversy has erupted in Kerala as senior bureaucrats and environmental experts have decided to approach the Governor, expressing strong opposition to the newly proposed wildlife bill. The group alleges that the bill undermines key ecological safeguards and violates national guidelines meant to protect endangered species.
According to officials, the bill dilutes the authority of the Chief Wildlife Warden, a key position responsible for implementing conservation laws and ensuring scientific decision-making in wildlife management. By weakening this role, they fear the legislation could lead to administrative confusion and unchecked exploitation of wildlife habitats.
Environmentalists have also raised alarm over provisions in the bill that expand the legal grounds for killing wild animals, arguing that such measures could encourage unnecessary culling and escalate human–wildlife conflicts instead of resolving them.
Additionally, the bill is said to violate multiple guidelines laid down by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), including those related to the management of tiger reserves, monitoring of protected areas, and restrictions on activities that may impact core habitats.
The petitioners plan to urge the Governor not to approve the bill in its current form and to send it back for review, stressing that the legislation poses a direct threat to Kerala’s biodiversity and wildlife conservation efforts.
