A herd of wild elephants has spread panic among the residents of Peerumade in Idukki. According to the residents, the herd, including two cow elephants and a tusker, entered agricultural fields and nearby localities on Wednesday. The wild elephants, camping near the government guest house and the Technical Higher Secondary School in Peerumade, destroyed the farmlands near the technical school, local people said. The herd has been camping on the parallel route of the Kuttikkanam-Peerumade Civil station road.
Azhuta range officer Jyothish J. Ozhakkal said the wild elephants’ camping area came under the Erumely forest range of the Kottayam territorial forest division. “The Rapid Response Team (RRT) under the Periyar Tiger Reserve has already been deputed for chasing the wild elephants back to the forest,” said Mr. Ozhakkal.
According to Forest department officials, forming a special RRT team under the Erumely territorial division is the only possible way to prevent the entry of wild elephants into human habitations. “A letter has already been sent to Kottayam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) to form a special RRT team under Erumely forest range,” said a Forest department official.
CPI(M) protest
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] local leadership blockaded the Peerumade RRT office on Monday, alleging that the Forest department failed to prevent the wild elephant attack. CPI(M) area committee member R. Dineshan inaugurated the meeting. According to CPI(M) leaders, the Forest department had agreed to depute RRT members in the area to prevent the entry of wild elephants into human habitations.
