If you think Aralam in Kannur, a village along the forest fringes of the Kerala border, hogs headlines only for Maoists encounters, you are wrong. The Aralam Farm and the rehabilitation area have unfortunately been in the news for all the wrong reasons with tigers on the prowl and elephants running wild.
The Aralam Farm, which was one of the 16 farms under the Farm Corporation of India, has been in the news for long. It has witnessed hundreds of agitations since 1978. A 57-day long strike, seeking to regularise casual labourers who had completed 240 work days, was one of the first agitations.
In 2010, the state government set up the Aralam Farming Corporation.
Once the corporation used to generate major revenue, but over the years due to various reasons the revenue generation has come down substantially. Now the corporation has about 425 employees including about 125 non-tribals. Many of them have salary arrears pending. In the recent past, there was another 15-day agitation seeking retirement benefits like gratuity for employees. Even now, the go-slow strike is on.
The farm has remained on the war-path for long, said K Velayudhan, Aralam panchayat president back in 2003, who now serves as Iritty's block panchayat president.
In 2003, the then Chief Minister AK Antony had intervened and bought about 7,500 acres from the union government for Rs 42 crore. An area of 4,000 acres were set aside for the farm, and another 3,500 acres were distributed among 3,335 tribal families. Of this only 1,717 families remain now as others moved out seeking better living conditions.
"40 years ago I used to be an employee at this farm. I've seen how lives change overnight, due to animal attacks. Aralam presents a rare canvas before people like you as this village has people from everywhere including several tribal communities. There are people from different Christian factions who came as settlers long back. In addition, there are 12 tribal communities here," says Velayudhan.
The efforts to rehabilitate people were made during the AK Antony government in 2003 and later by the VS Achuthanandan government during 2006-11. This area is deep forest, and there is lack of basic facilities like drinking water and other common amneties. There are now only around 1600 families there.
The farm currently has an employee strength of 425, including 125 non-tribals. Earlier, there were about 180 official staff. The numbers have come down. Not all families of those who were killed in attacks received compensation; some only got partial compensation, Velayudhan rues.
As per available statistics, the region has about 1798 Paniyar families, 335 families of the Karimpala tribe, 323 Kurichyar and 20 Kattunaykkar families, in addition to those belonging to other tribal groups like Kanis and Mavilans.
"Animal attacks are the biggest life threatening issue here. Despite efforts like solar fencing and a 13-km long wall from Valayanchal to Kariankapp, the conflict continues. Of late, there have also been a slew of elephant attacks. Since 2014, 17 people have lost their lives," recounts Valayudhan.
Deaths are primarily due to elephants while attacks by wild boars and monkeys are also not rare. Local residents say there are around 70 elephants inside the farm. Once attempts were made to send them away from the Kerala forest. But in two days, 13 elephants came back. People in the tribal settlement live in constant fear.
Raghu, who was trampled by a wild elephant when he went to collect firewood near their settlement in 2023, was the most recent victim of a wild animal attack in the region.
Incidents of attacks are being reported even now. It seems poor lives don't matter anymore!
Deaths since 2014
1. Madhavi
Block 13, Aralam farm
Died on 14/4/2014
2. Balan
Block 7
Died on 4/4/2015
3. Ammini
Block 10 Kottapara
Died on 8/3/2017
4. Reji
Edappuzha Block 4
Died on 5/4/2017
5. Biju Adanikkal
Narikkadav
Died on 10/1/2017
6. Gopalan
Temporary watcher of the farm
Died on 2/2/2017
7. Raghavan
Block 7
Died on 17/2/2018
8. Devu
Block 13
Died on 30/1/2018
9. Krishnan
Block 10
Died on 08/02/2018
10. Jayaraman
Died after animal jumped across scooter
Died on 11/10/2019
11. Veennappalam Narayanan
Block 4
Died on 26/4/2020
12. Babeesh
Kuttappan Colony
Block 7
Died on 31/10/2020
13. Justine
Perinkari
Died on 25/09/2021
14. Rijesh
Aralam Farm Block 1
Died on 31/01/2022
15. Damu
Aralam Farm Block 7
Died on 14/07/2022
16. TA Vasu
Died in wild elephant attack
Died on 27/09/2022
17. Reghu
Block 10
Died on 17/03/2023
* Seventeen deaths from 2014 to 2023. Data compiled by K Velayudhan.
