Residents say HC panel should hear them before submitting report

Residents of Sinkukandam and 301 Colony, near Chinnakanal, in Idukki launched a day and night protest at Sinkukandam on Friday morning demanding that the High Court-appointed committee should hear them before submitting its report to the court on April 5.

Residents of Sinkukandam and 301 Colony, near Chinnakanal, in Idukki launched a day and night protest at Sinkukandam on Friday morning demanding that the High Court-appointed committee should hear them before submitting its report to the court on April 5.

P.N. Sunil, Idukki district committee member of the Kerala Independent Farmers Association, said the people would continue their protest until the expert committee visited them. “We demand that the committee recommend immediate steps to capture Arikompan,” he said.

“The repeated wild elephant attacks give sleepless nights for us. We cannot live here unless the tusker is captured. We have no option to move to safe places,” Bhagyalakshmi, a resident of Sinkukandam said.

Meanwhile, two persons had a narrow escape after a wild elephant attacked them at Sinkukandam on Thursday night. A tusker, locally called Chakkakompan, attacked contractor Wilson and worker Vincent while they were on the road around 8 p.m. Vincent sustained minor injuries.

Meanwhile, the five-member committee of experts appointed by the Kerala High Court held a virtual meeting on Thursday. Sources said they discussed three options to address the issue of wild tusker Arikompan straying into human settlements at Santhanpara and Chinnakkanal panchayats.

“The three options are fixing a radio collar to keep track of the animal and releasing it to its habitat at Chinnakkanal, fixing a radio collar and relocating it to deep forest, and capturing the tusker and shifting it to the Kodand elephant camp,” the sources said.

“At present, only three options are under consideration to address the issue. The committee observed that the second option is more suitable. A recommendation will be made only after two other virtual meetings to be held on Friday and Saturday. If needed, the committee will visit Chinnakkanal. A report will be submitted before the court on April 5,” the sources said.