Minister Saseendran admits to lapses, promises Aralam elephant wall in 6 months
KANNUR: Forest Minister A K Saseendran has admitted to shortcomings in the execution of the elephant wall project in the Aralam farm tribal rehabilitation area, where a couple was trampled to death by a wild jumbo on Sunday.
The minister said the elephant wall would take another six months to complete, while attributing the delay to “difficulties in felling trees”, which he said had now been resolved.
Saseendran made the remarks after an all-party meeting convened at the Aralam panchayat office on Monday following the tragic death of Velli, 80, and his wife Leela, 72, residents of Block 13, in the jumbo attack. The deaths triggered massive protests in the area, with residents demanding an immediate resolution to the human-wildlife conflict.
Insisting they would not back down until their concerns were addressed, the protesting residents blocked the ambulance that was carrying the couple’s bodies from the Kannur Government Medical College to their home after the postmortem. Leaders M V Jayarajan and K Sudhakaran, who tried to visit the grieving family, were also stopped by the angry crowd.
The situation escalated after local residents blocked the road to the victims’ residence using large stones and wooden poles.
Even police personnel who tried to clear a path for the ambulance had to face stiff resistance.
Number of RRT personnel will be increased, says minister Saseendran
Even when a fire broke out in the forest adjacent to the farm, the protesters refused passage to the fire and rescue services personnel, alleging that the government and forest department were misleading them.
As the protest intensified, Saseendran reached the spot to pacify the crowd. Admitting that the prolonged delay in the elephant wall’s construction was unacceptable, he promised immediate action to prevent such incidents in future.
“There is strong public anger, and the government understands the frustration. The government will take appropriate action in the matter. Elephants near the residential area will be driven deeper into the forest, and the number of Rapid Response Team (RRT) personnel will be increased. The operation to chase the elephants away will take place today (Monday) itself. Construction of the elephant wall will be expedited, with work beginning by the February-end. Solar fencing will be installed soon,” he said.
Saseendran also assured protesters that the bodies of the couple would be cremated as per the family’s wishes and that one member of the deceased’s family would be given temporary employment within a week. However, the protesters demanded a written assurance that no more lives will be lost in wild animal attacks. After a standoff that lasted nearly five hours, the protesters withdrew. By 8 pm, the bodies of Velli and Leela were handed over to their family members and cremated near their residence.