KANNUR: A severely understaffed Rapid Response Team (RRT), stalled construction of the elephant wall, and unchecked undergrowth turning abandoned residential areas into dense forests have made Aralam farm ideal for wild elephants.
As a result, the region, home to 1,717 tribal families, has witnessed frequent human-wildlife conflicts that have left 20 dead since 2014, two of them on Sunday.
Frustrated residents blame the state government for failing to protect the tribal community. “There are hundreds of vacant houses in different blocks of Aralam. Outsiders may assume people have abandoned government-funded homes, but the reality is they left fearing for their lives. Over the past decade, 14 people have died in wild elephant attacks, while crop destruction and property damage have become a daily ordeal,” said Jibeesh Usha Balan, a resident and director of ‘Aneki Sambhavana Hein’, a documentary on wild elephant attacks in Aralam farm.
Criticism against the stalled elephant wall construction is also growing. “A few years ago, when an elephant from Aralam strayed into Kanichar and killed a person from the general category, the government acted swiftly to build a protective wall. However, here, despite so many deaths, construction remains unfinished. Of the planned 10-km-long stretch, only 3 km has been completed. Do tribal lives not matter,” asked Jibeesh.
With just one forest office for the entire region, officials struggle to respond to the multiple conflicts occurring across different blocks each night.
“How can a single RRT attend to all these emergencies at once? The abandoned areas have become impenetrable due to thick undergrowth and resemble forests more than residential settlements,” Jibeesh said.
Residents said nearly 40 wild elephants roam the area, while only 12 RRT officials and nine watchers are responsible for monitoring the vast, 7,500-acre land.
“There are 12 RRT officials and nine watchers assigned to Aralam, but they are responsible for the entire Kannur district. Given the dire situation in Aralam farm, we prioritise operations here.
Official records indicate about 20 elephants are inside the rehabilitation area itself. As soon as the sun sets, our offices are flooded with distress calls from residents. Elephant attacks have become routine, with the jumbos frequently entering residential areas,” said M Shainy Kumar, Kannur’s deputy range officer in-charge of Aralam farm.
Currently, two forest vehicles patrol the farm at night, but officials are struggling to keep up with the growing crisis. “We have lost count as to how many times we have chased elephants into the forest each day. However, they return within hours. We now use firecrackers to drive them away,” Shainy said.
Abandoned homes covered in thick undergrowth have worsened the problem as they serve as ideal hiding spots for wild animals.
“Many have fled the place due to recurring wildlife attacks, and the heavy undergrowth in the abandoned areas has made them indistinguishable from forests. Residents have spotted tigers near their homes. There have also been instances where toddy tappers who climbed coconut trees saw these big cats below,” he said.