Lost on the pathways of wild animals, buffer zones

Almost every twilight, Cherolil Saji lets out a gasp prompted by a cacophony of trumpets and grunts that echo at irregular intervals, leaving his ears momentarily deafened. “Each sound is a constant reminder that we must once again relocate to safer grounds,” he says, reflecting on a decade-old memory when he left with his family from Kongodumala to settle in Pashukkadavu in Maruthongara grama panchayat.

Almost every day, Cherolil Saji lets out a gasp prompted by a cacophony of trumpets and grunts that echo at irregular intervals, leaving his ears momentarily deafened. “Each sound is a grim reminder of our plight,” he says, reflecting on a decade-old memory when he left with his family from Kongodumala to settle in Pashukkadavu in Maruthongara grama panchayat due to the threat from wild animals.

“Wehad no choice, but to shift elsewhere. Our lifeline was collapsing,” Mr. Saji said, his finger pointing towards a forsaken house that once belonged to his neighbour and fellow settler-farmer, Saji Parakkal, at the foothills of Kongodumala. An old bamboo beehive, dangling in the vicinity, and two rickety wooden cots leaning against the weathered walls of the derelict house are remnants of their past.

Both the Sajis had bid farewell to Kongodumala, and sought solace in the embrace of hilly Pashukkadavu, despite the location being prone to landslips and being three kilometres away. “My house in Kongodumala had crumbled two years ago, and now, we are sure that this abandoned house will be destroyed during the monsoon,” Mr. Cherolil says.

Like what they experienced before relocation, hundreds of upland farmers in Kozhikode district are currently grappling with two significant challenges. Firstly, they face the looming threat of displacement due to the escalating menace of wild animals. Secondly, they are confronted with falling prices of their agricultural produce, including rubber, coconut, and plantains.

Around 15 families have deserted their cultivated lands and homes in search of better shelter in areas of Maruthongara and adjacent Kavilumpara panchayat.

“I had to give up my six acres of cultivated land without receiving any compensation. The abandoned land now seems to be considered as forest property. Today, I am struggling to make a living with a small patch of land,” explains Mr. Cherolil.

Engaging workers in farmlands has become uneconomical for several years. For some time, farmers have resorted to leasing their land to agriculture labourers to generate income. Most of these labourers have settled in upland areas near the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary. However, combating the rampant wild animals has proven to be a tough task.