KOCHI: The felling and replantation of teak trees by the forest department at Vadamuri plantation in Athirappilly panchayat bordering the Vazhachal forest area has triggered protests with local residents alleging increased wild elephant menace in the surrounding areas. While green activists and local residents allege habitat destruction as the reason for increased incidents of wild animals straying into human habitations, the forest department maintains that elephant menace is not a new phenomenon in the area.
The forest department started felling the teaks in a 25-hectare plot at Vadamuri plantation in 2020. The teak trees were planted in 1960s and felling was taken up as the trees attained the girth of 1.85m. Vadamuri teaks are considered second only to Nilambur teak in quality and fetches the forest department good revenue. After completing felling works, the department cleared the area and replanted teak saplings Later, a solar fencing was erected around the plantation to stop wild animals from destroying the saplings.
However, local residents say that more than 100 workers were deployed for the felling works who brought earth movers and trucks to transport the wood. The replantation work disturbed wildlife and destroyed the natural habitat of Malabar pied hornbills and Malabar grey hornbills. As the elephant path from Vazhachal to Edamalayar area was disturbed, the jumbos started straying into the villages and attacking commuters on the Chalakkudy-Malakkapara road, they said.
“Earth movers were used to remove the teak wood and the replantation caused massive destruction in the area. As the elephant path was blocked and their habitat destroyed, the jumbos started straying into the villages and attacking commuters on the Chalakudy-Malakkapara route. Three persons, including a five-year-old child, have been killed by wild elephants for the past one year,” said Rubin Lal, a local resident. According to Unnikrishnan Pakkanar, a green activist, the destruction of the habitat will have an impact on the ecosystem. “On the ecological point of view, the disturbance of habitat has been massive.
Though the plantation is on the other side of the river, elephants cross the river and enter the villages due to destruction of the habitat. This has led to an increase in man-elephant conflict. We have submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Environment and Forest(MoEF) in this regard,” he said. Denying the allegations, Athirappilly forest range officer P S Nithin said the tree felling was taken up as per the working plan and all legal formalities had been completed.
“The Vadamuri plantation is not a sanctuary but forms the buffer zone of Athirappilly forest. We have felled the teak trees as per the working plan and no evergreen forest has been destroyed. The habitat of hornbills is located in the evergreen forests of Vazhachal and Sholayar, which have been maintained in pristine form. The replantation drive was taken up after a committee led by the chief conservator of forests inspected the plantation and granted permission. The solar fencing was erected to stop wild animals from destroying the saplings. It will be removed once the saplings grow to a particular height,” he said.
Vazhachal divisional forest officer R Lakshmi said the local residents are being instigated by people with vested interests. “The tree felling has been taken up following the working plan approved by the MoEF. Only trees in 25 hectares of the 174-hectare teak plantation has been taken up and we have completed replantation. Wild animal menace has been a perennial issue in the area and we have deployed patrol teams to alert local residents about elephant presence. We have submitted a proposal to erect a hanging fence to an extend of 60km in Vazhachal division to tackle the elephant menace. The project will be implemented with Nabard aid at an estimated cost of `6 crore,” she said.
Victims of Jumbo attack
Feb 26, 2021: Kunju, 58, Vettilapara
Mar 18, 2021: Rajesh, 38, Pillapara
Feb 7, 2022: Agnimiya Nikhil, 5, Mala(Agnimiya’s grandfather Jayan, 49, who collapsed after seeing the wild elephant trample the child died due to shock on February 18, 2022)
