With Palakkad topping the districts in forest encroachments, its eastern hill villages are now witnessing increased instances of man-animal conflict.
The human casualty in the district this year has risen to six, the latest being Tomy Joseph, 58 of Irumbakachola, near Mannarkkad, who was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Wednesday.
Over 600 cases
Over 600 cases of crop loss and damage to houses have been reported during the period from the district’s three forest ranges – Mannarkkad, Palakkad, and Nenmara.
“While encroachments in Munnar are getting nationwide attention, Palakkad lost more land than Munnar through encroachment. The data available with the Forest Department show that Palakkad lost 3,819.75 hectares of forestland, with the Manarkkad forest division alone losing 2,700 hectares,” environmental activist P.S. Panicker says.
In the meantime, Idukki lost 1,727.20 hectares of forestland with Munnar losing 1,099.65 hectares and Mankulam losing 358.43 hectares.
Experts blame most man-animal conflicts in the district to habitat loss and massive deforestation. Prevailing drought in forest regions such as Walayar, Attappady, and Mundur has also contributed to the situation.
With summer at its peak, crop raids are being reported from almost all parts of Attappady daily.
“Most encroachments are happening silently and systematically. Tourism and resort mafias are also contributing to the situation,” says S. Guruvayurappan, South Indian coordinator of the Wildlife Protection Society of India. Elephant-proof trenches and electric fencings have failed to prevent frequent crop raids by wild elephants. In Walayar alone, elephants have broken electric fencing in a distance of 21 km.
Farmers are demanding a permanent kumki elephant camp comprising jumbos specially trained to scare away elephants straying into human habitations.
At present, the district is dependent on kumki elephants from the Anamalai Tiger reserve of Tamil Nadu to meet emergencies.
Steps are also needed to increase the number of Rapid Response Team (RRT) staff constituted to tackle the elephant menace.
Farmers’ demand
Farmers also demanding an increase in compensation for victims of elephant attacks and bring it on a par with that in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The compensation for crop loss is meagre, says S. Thomas, a farmer from Karimba.
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