SUPREME COURT JUDGES INTRODUCE NALSA INITIATIVE TO AID VICTIMS OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS:

The two-day Regional Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Co-Existence, organized by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) under the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), commenced today at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall in Thiruvananthapuram. The inaugural session was attended by judges from the Supreme Court, as well as the High Courts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, along with other dignitaries. Justices M.M. Sundaresh, B.V. Nagarathna, Vikram Nath, and Surya Kant of the Supreme Court delivered addresses during the event, highlighting the importance of balancing human development with the protection of wildlife and nature.

Justice M.M. Sundaresh emphasized the fundamental duty of every individual to safeguard the environment and share the Earth’s resources with all living beings. He underscored that human-animal conflicts often arise from mankind’s exclusive focus on development, noting that animals lack human concepts of property or ownership. Reflecting on human actions, he remarked that if animals had a concept of religion, humans would be seen as the “devil,” stressing the need for society to take collective responsibility to remedy the situation.

Justice B.V. Nagarathna drew attention to an incident in Mangalore where a leopard and a dog remained confined together in a toilet overnight without causing harm to each other, illustrating the awareness and emotional capacity of animals. She highlighted that natural elements shape human character: the earth teaches patience and love, air teaches mobility and liberty, fire teaches warmth and courage, the sky teaches equality and broad-mindedness, and water teaches purity and cleanliness. She stressed that humans are part of nature, not separate from it, and advocated for an eco-centric rather than a human-centric approach when resolving conflicts. She also emphasized that the privacy and well-being of local communities, particularly women, must be carefully considered.

Justice Vikram Nath spoke with a lighter note, sharing that he has received blessings not only from people but humorously from dogs, due to his work on stray dog issues in Delhi. He underscored that the central theme of the conference being conflict and co-existence, is shaped by the choices humans make, and these possibilities arise from conscious decisions in interacting with nature.

Justice Surya Kant, Executive Chairman of NALSA, introduced two schemes launched during the conference. He highlighted India’s deep-rooted tradition of reverence for nature, noting that the Constitution embodies the duty to protect the environment. Justice Kant stressed that justice must operate consistently and comprehensively, reflecting these constitutional and cultural values. Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, Justices A. Muhammed Mustaque, and C.S. Dias of the Kerala High Court, along with Minister of Law P. Rajeev and Attorney General R. Venkataramani, also addressed the gathering.

The event marked the formal launch of the NALSA Scheme on Access to Justice for Victims of Human-Wildlife Conflict, 2025, and the Supporting Potential and Resilience of the Unseen, Held-back and Affected Scheme (SPRUHA), 2025. A Compendium on Human-Wildlife Conflict, a digital resource compiling national and state-level schemes, guidelines, advisories, judicial pronouncements, and policy frameworks, was also unveiled. Additionally, NALSA announced the establishment of Samanvaya Healing Centres in all district legal services authorities in Kerala, the introduction of e-filing and video-conferencing in Permanent Lok Adalats, and the launch of dedicated websites for every DLSA in the state.