KOCHI: Tigers, leopards, elephants, gaurs, wild pigs... As summer nears, the forest fringes are turning conflict zones. This time, though, the farmers in such areas are breathing a little easier. With just a year to go for the assembly polls, politicians have started responding to their wails.
Accepting the concerns raised by the farmers, the state government withdrew the Forest Amendment Bill and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan is taking out a protest march from Irikkur in Kannur to Amboori in Thiruvananthapuram demanding the farmers be saved from wild animals.
Well ahead of summer, the human-wild animal conflict has started rising on forest fringes, giving sleepless nights to farmers. Over 33 days, from December 14 to January 15, as many as seven people were trampled by wild elephants in the state.
A leaders’ meet of the Catholic Congress, held at the Pastoral Orientation Centre in Kochi last week, has decided to act as a vote bank during the upcoming local body polls and the assembly polls to protect the interests of the community.
“We will vote only for candidates who promise to protect our rights. We welcome the government’s decision to withdraw the Forest Amendment Bill. But the government should explain the steps taken to ensure the protection of farmers from wild animals. The political front which Christians have been supporting traditionally is ignoring us in the name of vote bank politics. If they continue the step-motherly attitude, we will explore other options,” said Catholic Congress global director Fr Philip Kaviyil.
Tigers are roaming the hamlets of Wayanad while leopards are spreading fear in Pathanamthitta. Villagers are scared to venture out at night due to the fear of marauding elephants. The forest department’s decision to register a case against a farmer after a leopard was caught in a snare in his farmland at Kottiyur has triggered protests. As fear grips conflict zones, elections offer a glimmer of hope to farmers.
Forest Minister A K Saseendran’s climbdown in the Forest Amendment Bill issue and the Opposition’s decision to highlight the farmers plight indicate a shift in political discourse, and the farmers have realised that it is the best time to bargain. The UDF march led by Satheesan is slated to begin on January 27 and end on February 5.
Meanwhile, Minister for SC/ST Welfare O R Kelu courted a controversy after he gave a call to avoid travel through forest areas in view of the rising wild animal attacks.
“It is my responsibility as a minister to caution the people against wild animal attacks. The summer is setting in and wild animals have started entering human settlements in search of food and water. So, we have to be cautious while travelling through forest areas. People should avoid entering forests,” Kelu told TNIE.
Blaming the forest department for the rising conflicts, Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association (KIFA) chairman Alex Ozhukayil cited the degradation of forests as the reason for wild animals entering human habitations.
“The behaviour of wild elephants has changed due to scarcity of food and water inside the forests. The forest department has destroyed grasslands to plant eucalyptus and acacia. If there are grasslands and bamboo reeds in the forests, elephants and other herbivores will stop entering villages. The social forestry department has 1.5 lakh acres of teak, eucalyptus and acacia plantations in Kerala. These plantations should be converted into natural forest and the government should stop social forestry,” he said. Stating that the department has initiated steps to reduce conflicts, a senior forest officer said rapid response teams have been deployed in conflict zones.
“We have divided the forest fringe areas into 12 conflict zones and have identified the hot spots. Patrolling has been strengthened and we are implementing steps to mitigate the conflict with the help of local residents. The last seven instances of deaths to wild elephant attacks happened inside the forests. People should be careful while entering the forest areas,” he said.
SEVEN KILLED BY WILD ELEPHANTS IN 33 DAYS
December 14, 2024: Ernakulam. Ann Mary, 21, a student of Mar Athanasius College, Kothamangalam, dies as a palm tree uprooted by a wild elephant falls onto the bike on which she was riding pillion at Neriamangalam
December 16, 2024: Ernakulam. Eldhose, 40, resident of Knachery settlement in Kuttampuzha panchayat, killed by a wild elephant as he was walking through the forest road at night
December 25, 2024: Palakkad. Madhavan, 65, a resident of Vazhukkumpara in Thrissur district and an estate employee at Varadikulam in Parambikulam, killed by a wild elephant while returning from a shop
December 29, 2024: Idukki. Amar Elahi, 22, of Mullaringadu, killed by a wild elephant when he went to the forest teak estate in Vannapuram panchayat to graze his cow
January 04, 2025: Malappuram. Mani, 37, a tribal person belonging to the Cholanaikan community, trampled by a wild elephant in Karulai range of Nilambur forest. He was returning to his house at Poochapara settlement when the elephant attacked
January 8, 2025: Wayanad. Vishnu, 22, a tribal youth from Kutta in Karnataka, killed by a wild elephant in Pulpally forest when he was returning to his village through forest road
January 15, 2025: Malappuram. Sarojini, 52, a tribal woman of Uchakulam colony in Nilambur forest trampled by a wild elephant when she entered the forest to collect forest produce