NILGIRIS: Following the deaths of two men in tiger attacks at Lauriston in O-Valley Town Panchayat, several political parties and traders have called for a two-day general strike on August 27 and 28 in the Gudalur Assembly constituency, urging the forest department to take steps to prevent such wild animal attacks in the region.
Representatives of major political parties, including BJP, Congress, VCK, CPI, CPM, NTK, DMDK, and SDPI, took part in a meeting on the same, held at the DMK’s Gudalur MLA office on Saturday evening. The parties sought the cooperation of traders, autorickshaw and taxi drivers across the constituency for the strike. They also passed a resolution demanding the release of VCK and DYFI functionaries, who were arrested during the protest held on August 21 after the death of one of the tiger attack victims, K Ravikumar, in Lauriston.
Subsequently, traders have extended their support by deciding to shut grocery shops, while auto and call taxi operators too will stay off the roads. Similarly, resorts and cottages in Masinagudi, a major tourist destination in the Nilgiris district, are also likely to remain closed during the strike.
Workers, their kids to join stir in Gudalur over animal attacks
A representative of Gudalur Viyabarikal Sangam said that estate workers would also go on strike and have decided not to send their children to school on both days. “Our members have decided to extend their support to the strike as people are spending sleepless nights due to wild animal attacks. The strike is being observed to demonstrate our unity and urge the forest department to take steps to prevent such deaths caused by wild animals,” added the representative.
DMK Gudalur town secretary S Ilanchezhian said, “Soon after the first incident on August 9, the forest department failed to set up traps and capture the animal. If it had done so, the second death could have been averted. The animal should be eliminated before another such incident occurs,” adding that the incident occurred in a residential area and it is necessary to “gun down the animal to ensure human safety”.
On the protest that ensued after the death of the second victim, Ilanchezhian said that seven persons were arrested after some protesters allegedly threw bottles, injuring two police personnel. “Instead of arresting those responsible for the incident, the police have arrested representatives of the people to curtail such protests. The police should have warned them,” he claimed.
The officials from the revenue department are yet to hold talks with the representatives of the political parties and the traders’ associations. Gudalur Revenue Divisional Officer S K Gunasekaran told TNIE that he would speak to them after obtaining permission from Nilgiris Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Taneeru on Monday.
Meanwhile, the forest department on Sunday increased the number of cages set up to capture the animal from six to eight and the number of camera traps to 60. District Forest Officer P Devaraj said, “Our staff found evidence, including pugmarks and scat, of the big cat. We have not spotted the animal directly so far.”
Jumbo damages house
A wild elephant, searching for food, damaged the compound wall of a house at Lauriston in O-Valley on Sunday. Three persons, including house owner Poomani, escaped unhurt. Poomani urged the forest department to provide compensation for the damage
