The 100-day action plan formulated by the Forest department to ensure the safety of people living along the State’s forest fringes and to mitigate human-wildlife conflict will commence on Monday. The programme, comprising 17 initiatives, will prioritise reducing wildlife conflict, streamlining compensation distribution, strengthening wildlife monitoring through modern technology and digitising public services.

As part of the first phase, 100 km of solar-powered fencing will be installed in high-conflict areas. Repair work on nearly 2,000 km of existing fences will be expedited, and a centralised monitoring system will be introduced during the period. Besides, the department will also launch a 100-km ‘Vista Clearance’ project to clear undergrowth along forest roads for the safety of travellers, along with the second phase of the ‘SARPA’ snake rescue project.

The department has also targeted the launch of 25 satellite rapid response teams, along with metro response teams in urban areas, to enable rapid response to wildlife-related incidents.

The State government will submit a revised proposal to the Central government seeking legal amendments to control the menace caused by wild boars and bonnet macaques. A panchayat-level census of wild boars will also be conducted, and a panel of empanelled shooters will be prepared. Moreover, a study on the wildlife carrying capacity of Kerala’s forests will be undertaken with the support of scientific institutions.

A special package will be prepared for the severely affected regions of Wayanad, Kothamangalam and Munnar as part of the action plan.