MANANTHAVADY: Resentment, anger and grief run deep in the villages on the forest fringes of Wayanad, which have been hit by frequent human-wildlife conflicts.
The death of two persons in wild elephant attacks in Mananthavady and Pulpally recently have shocked the high-ranges. The spotting of tigers in several areas have added to the villagers’ fears. Many have even stopped working in farms and people are moving around in groups in the morning and evening.
The high range famers want the forest department to ensure their safety or else they “will be forced to kill the animals that stray into human settlements. It’s a fight for our right to life,” they say. The villagers want the government to demarcate the forests and erect proper fencing to ensure a permanent solution to the wild animal menace which is giving them sleepless nights.
Anger, grief run deep in Wayanad’s villages
While his friends start for school in the morning, Sarath, 16, a Class 11 student at Vijaya HSS in Pulpally, Wayanad, blankly stares out the window.
For the past three weeks, the teen belonging to the Kattu Naiker tribe has been bedridden. His parents Vijayan and Kamalakshy have not gone to work as there is none at home to care for him.
Tragedy struck Sarath on January 28, while he was returning from Pakkam junction with friends. A rogue elephant that was hiding behind coffee plants grabbed him with its trunk and threw him to the ground. Though scared by the trumpeting of other elephants, Sarath’s friends gathered some courage and managed to pull him away from the rampaging jumbo. The boy fractured both of his hip bones in the attack and had to spend two weeks at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
“Sarath needs assistance for his primary needs, but there is none to help the family. The forest department gave only `12,000 as compensation. It was not enough to meet the treatment expenses at the hospital. The tribal welfare department has not responded to the family’s pleas,” said Pulpally panchayat member Jolly Narithookil, adding that this is the plight of every tribal family.
“The dependants of Lakshmanan of Tholpetty who was trampled to death by a wild elephant did not get any compensation. Bairan and Kali of Chekady colony in Pulpally, who were attacked by elephants in March and July, respectively, remain bedridden, but the government has not given them any compensation either,” Jolly said.
Resentment, anger and grief have gripped high range villages of Tholpetty, Pulpally, Padamala, Mananthavady and Sultan Bathery in Wayanad. The tragic death of Ajeesh Joseph Panachiyil of Padamala and forest department watcher Paul Vellachalil of Pakkam in Pulpally’s Kuruva ward in wild elephant attacks has shocked the high ranges. The frequent spotting of tiger in the locality has added to the villagers’ fear, with many scared to leave home and go to work.
“We have stopped working in the farmland. People are moving around in groups in the morning and evening,” said Lissy Joseph of Vennamattathil house in Padamala, who herself had a miraculous escape from a charging tiger on February 12.
“After Ajeesh’s death, we were vigilant while venturing out of homes. I had gone to church around 6.30am on February 12. When I reached the road, I heard a loud roar and thought it was an elephant. I immediately rushed towards a neighbour’s house. The animal was behind me, and I could hear it charging towards me. By God’s grace, I fell while climbing the steps and spotted the animal pass by me in a flash. It was the honking of a car and the screams of my neighbour that drove the animal away,” recalled Lissy.
Kunjumon, Ajeesh’s father, said elephants, tigers, bear, deer, wild boar, monkeys, peacock and squirrels have made their lives miserable.
“We toil in our fields the entire year but the fruits of our labour are destroyed before our eyes. Now, wild animals have started killing people. The forest department has to ensure the safety of farmers or we will be forced to kill the animals. Let them hang us,” Kunjumon said, struggling to hold back his tears. Ajeesh’s friend K R Jyothish, an ex-serviceman, said though Padmala is surrounded by forest on three sides, the villagers started experiencing wild animal menace only a decade ago. “The number of wild animals entering our village is increasing. The government should find a solution. We have been urging the forest department to erect a rail wall from Tholpetty to Sultan Bathery, and demarcate forest and revenue lands,” Jyothish said.
Not holding back, Ajeesh’s uncle Baby flayed animal lovers, saying they have been ridiculing his nephew’s death. “We received messages that shattered the children. Let these animal lovers come and live in the forest fringe areas. You (animal lovers) can fight for the rights of wild animals. However, we too have the right to live,” Baby said.
At Pakkam near Kuruva Island, the family of Paul, a temporary watcher at the Kuruva Island eco-tourism centre who was trampled to death by a wild elephant on February 16, is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he is no more.
Paul used to take care of his wife, daughter and mentally challenged sister with the Rs 15,000 he got as salary.
“The eco-tourism centre was closed in view of the elephant menace, and Paul had gone there to caution visitors. That was when a herd of elephants passed through the area. Paul hid behind a culvert to escape. When the herd left, he came out. However, he failed to notice a rogue elephant that then trampled him,” said a family member.
Sally, Paul’s wife, said Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, CPM leader K K Shailaja and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan have offered them help. “I told them we cannot survive without help,” she said. Their daughter Sona, a Class 1o student at Vijaya HSS went to school on Monday for the model exam.
Alex Ozhukayil, the chairman of Kerala Independent Farmer’s Association said the police registered non-bailable cases against people who took part in the protest at Pulpally on February 17 following Paul’s demise.
“It is a do-or-die battle for farmers in high ranges. The incidents that took place were a result of emotions running high. We will provide legal help to the farmers. The forest department and government should demarcate forest and revenue lands and ensure our safety. It is a struggle to protect our right to live,” Alex said.
Op to dart tiger launched
A 40-member forest department team, including members of the Rapid Response Team, led by Wayanad South DFO Shajna A began combing the Pulpally forest to tranquilise the tiger that has been terrorising Pulpally 56 area for the past five days. The tiger killed a cow in Pulpally on Saturday night, and also pounced on Vazhayil Aneesh while he was returning from work on his bike. The big cat later killed a calf tied outside the house of Eldhose at Ashramakolly. On Monday, Chinnu, a villager spotted the tiger while washing clothes. Following an alert, a forest department team reached the spot and checked the tiger’s pug marks on Monday. Around 10am, the team began a search in three groups. It was called off at 5 pm. Chief Wildlife Warden D Jayaprasad had on February 15 issued the order to tranquilise the tiger. The darting team is led by assistant veterinary surgeon (forests) Ajesh Mohandas.
Ministers to visit Mananthavady today
A cabinet sub-committee comprising Revenue Minister K Rajan, Forest Minister A K Saseendran and Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh will visit Sultan Bathery and Mananthavady in Wayanad on Tuesday to address the grievances of agitating farmers. The ministers will hold a meeting with forest officials and farmers’ representatives at the Sultan Bathery town hall at 11am. Later, they will visit the houses of wild animal attack victims and meet the bereaved families.