Unauthorised shops add to man-animal conflict in Munnar

Unauthorised shops in Munnar attract wild elephants, increasing human-animal conflict, prompting calls for immediate action.

Unauthorised shops that dot the roads in Munnar play a part in increasing the human-animal conflict in the hill station, drawing wild elephants into the bustling town.

A report submitted by Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ramesh Bishnoi to Idukki District Collector V. Vigneshwari reveals that 387 unauthorised shops, scattered across the forest division, are attracting elephants.

Of the 387 shops, 71 are located along the Munnar-Bodimettu National Highway, 215 along the Munnar-Mattuppetty Road, 51 along the Munnar-Udumalpet Highway, and 48 along the Munnar-Neryamangalam National Highway. The report also includes GPS coordinates of the unauthorised shops.

The report, a copy of which is with The Hindu, notes that many shops and tourists are irresponsibly dumping chemical-and-salt-laden waste by the roadside, which attracts wild elephants into the town. “Wild elephants are increasingly venturing into Munnar’s crowded areas and even showing signs of settling there,” says the report.

Further aggravating the situation is the failure of the Munnar grama panchayat’s waste treatment plant at Kallar, near the town. According to the report, the plant is not equipped with solar fencing to prevent the entry of wild animals, leading to elephants camping near the facility and consuming plastic waste. The availability of food has kept these elephants from returning to the forest. This has already led to human-animal encounters such as the attack on Haritha Karma Sena members by a wild tusker named Ottakompan on September 25.

The report also points out that most of the unauthorised roadside shops are operated by organised groups, rather than by local residents. “The district administration should either remove all unauthorised shops within the Munnar forest division or ensure daily waste removal from these establishments,” says the report. The Forest department’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), already stretched thin, cannot manage the increasing human-animal conflict caused by improper waste disposal.

The issue has sparked concern among local businesses as well. G. Babulal, president of the Munnar unit of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti (KVVES), criticised the authorities for failing to act against the unauthorised shops. “These shops are causing long traffic jams and are attracting wild animals, which pose a danger to both local residents and tourists. Immediate action is needed to address this issue,” he said.