Latest news with #CommissionforSocialHarmonyandVigilance
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Forest officials flayed for registering trespass case against Church authorities
The Kothamangalam diocese under the Syro-Malabar Church criticised the Forest department and the Forest Minister after another case was registered against the Church authorities. According to officials, on April 12 the Forest department removed a cross erected the previous day by St. Thomas Church, Thommankuth, under the Syro-Malabar Church, on a property beside the Neyyassery-Thokkumban Road at Naranganam. The department also booked a case against the parish priest for erecting the cross on forestland. On April 19, the church organised a Way of the Cross procession to the location from where the Forest department had removed the cross. But the Church authorities alleged that the Forest department booked another case against Kothamangalam diocese general Vincent Nedungattu, Chancellor Fr. Jose Kulathur and parish priest Fr. James Ikaramattom on the charges of trespassing. Fr. Jacob Rathappallil, Director of the Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance of the Kothamangalam diocese, said that the church erected the cross on land under its possession. 'The Forest department illegally demolished the cross and did not withdraw the cases though the parish authorities submitted relevant documents. In addition, the Forest department is trying to slap more charges on the local people and the Church authorities. Fr. Rathappallil stated that the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister should intervene in this issue and take steps to prevent the Forest department officials from engaging in such actions. A senior Forest department official said that the department only booked a trespass case against the Church authorities for illegally entering forestland. 'The Forest department only issued a notice for the incident and didn't arrest any people over the issue,' said the official. Last week, the district administration decided to conduct a Revenue, Forest, and Police department-level joint verification in the area at Naranganam, near Thommankuth, from where the cross was removed. According to sources, a recent report by the Thodupuzha tahsildar said that the area was revenue land and part of human settlement.
New Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Human-animal conflict: CM Pinarayi Vijayan needs to rein in forest dept, says KCBC chairman
KOCHI: The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council's (KCBC) Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance has urged the state government to take decisive action to curb increasing wildlife attacks and also put an end to 'forest raj' being unleashed by the forest department. In a letter, Bishop Dr Yoohanon Mar Theodosius, chairman of the commission, highlighted the conclusion of the report prepared by the Kerala High Court-appointed amicus curiae. 'As per the report prepared by the amicus curiae, 2,630 wildlife attacks have occurred in Kerala between 2023 and 2024. In five years, 103 people were killed by wild elephants and 341 by other wild animals. The damage that wildlife causes to property and agriculture is incalculable. Though attacks by wild animals are becoming more frequent, the government, public officials, and the media are not giving the attention they deserve,' he said in the letter. The commission has made some recommendations for the perusal of the state government. One of the recommendations is that the Central and state governments need to sit up and take notice. The governments need to take action to curb the growing number of wildlife attacks and the factors that contribute to them, said the bishop. The central and the state governments need to comprehend and address the people's predicament, he said. 'The government should plan to make constructive interventions and find and implement effective solutions. Also, the amicus curiae's recommendation that compensation for fatalities resulting from wildlife attacks should be at least Rs 24 lakh is commendable. But, the government systems need to wake up and take action to ensure the victims get the said compensation,' he said. The commission accused the forest department of continuously taking anti-people positions. 'The chief minister should step in to control the department's actions like interfering with the rights of the people and encroaching on residential and agricultural land in Idukki and Wayanad besides other areas,' he added.
