Keralam Forest department removes fences, iron bars blocking movement of wild elephants in Chinnakkanal
The decision came out of talks held between forest officials, tribal residents, and people’s representatives at the Panthadikkalam tribal settlement under the Devikulam forest range, following the death of a tribal farmer
The Keralam Forest department has removed fences and iron bars that were blocking the movement of wild elephants in the Chinnakkanal region on September 23. This decision was made after discussions between forest officials, tribal residents, and representatives at the Panthadikkalam tribal settlement under the Devikulam forest range.
The incident occurred following the death of a tribal farmer named Vijayan, who was killed by a wild elephant known as Chakkakompan. Local residents protested the barricades obstructing elephant passages in the area. Following the farmer's death, the department agreed to dismantle the illegal fencing, which had trapped elephants in the settlement.
C.V. Biju, a local tribal farmer, stated that the removal of fences was their primary demand during the talks. However, landowners have since reinstalled the fences, causing a resurgence of the threat of elephant attacks. The Devikulam Forest Range Officer has issued notices to 14 landowners who reinstated the barriers, and a meeting is scheduled for October 22 to address the issue.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
