Karnataka High Court Says Healthcare Centres Be Connected With Control Rooms To Attend Those Injured In Man-Animal Conflicts

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday suggested that 24*7 control rooms set up by State government for receipt of information about man-animal conflicts in areas surrounding forests be connected with Civil hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres for immediate attention to those injured.

It said “We direct the State government to extend the access of control room to the nearest Primary Health Centre (PHC) and the District Civil Hospital, through the Resident Medical Officer of PHC and Civil Surgeon attached to Civil hospital, so that in case an information in respect of some seriously injured person is shared with the control room, it can forward it to nearest PHC and or the District Civil hospital and on receipt of such information necessary medical assistance or first aid can be provided to injured."

It also directed the State Government to establish a grievance cell consisting of Range Forest Officers and Tashildar, at Taluka level in Hassan District to address residents' grievances of Human-Elephant conflict.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice M G S Kamal said the grievance cell must meet periodically, at the intervals of after every two months. It added,

“The grievance cell must maintain record of grievances received by them and such grievances, if any which can be taken care by concerned RFO at his level he shall take immediate action and within 24-hours after receipt of grievance and maintain record of action taken by him. In case there is need of intervention of superior officer/officers the grievance cell to immediately forward with the report to the superior officer/officers. The superior officer at the Division level or the regional level as the case may be in turn to maintain record of the receipt of reports and action taken pursuant to the reports.”

Further it has directed the authorities to give wide publicity to the establishment of the grievance cell, using all possible modes of communications including newspapers particularly in regional language. “The establishment of grievances cell shall also be notified in the notice board of each gram panchayat as well be given wide publicity in national/regional and local news channels operating in the areas,” it said.

The Court gave the direction while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Karnataka Growers Federation (KGF) through advocate Vignesh A Sreenivas alleging inaction of authorities to curb human-elephant conflict in Hassan.

The bench refused to pass detailed directions in view of the directions passed on October 8, 2013 by a coordinate bench of the High Court on aspects of issues namely— death of elephants under mysterious circumstances and other allied issues, such as man-animal conflict; protection of the environment; maintenance of ecology. It had issued exhaustive directions for monitoring the human-elephant conflict and for taking need based measures.

The bench said “As we have already said that these directions are exhaustive directions and there is a need for measures which are need based, we propose to issue certain additional directions which are only in tune with and in consonance with the aim and object of directions already issued by the Division bench.”

The court also took note of the statement made by the State government that actions are being taken to reduce such conflicts in the entire landscape, by providing adequate manpower to each Elephant Task Force (ETF), providing vehicles and support equipment and infrastructure including a 24*7 control room for receiving necessary information and if the situation demands the ETF can immediately swing into action.

Court was also informed of actions taken for establishment of advance warning systems which include LED display boards and sirens at vantage locations to inform about the movement of elephants in the vicinity and a bulk SMS system to pass on necessary information to people in advance.

Following which the court directed “The Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief Wildlife Warden of State to have a periodical coordination for monitoring and supervising these aspects and this can be achieved by conducting timely meetings and the said officers, to conduct the meeting at least every quarter of the year, that is after every four months in a calendar year.”

Accordingly it disposed of the petition.

Case Title: Karnataka Growers Federation And Government of India

Case No: WP 24307/2022

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Kar) 260

Date of Order: 11-07-2023

Appearance: Vignesh A Sreenivas for petitioner

Deputy Solicitor General Shanthi Bhushan H for R1