Moving Arikomban, the rogue tusker, who has been in headlines for several months now, and a cause of headache to the government and residents of Munnar, will not be easy. On April 5, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court had ordered the relocation of Arikomban, who roams around Santhanpara and Chinnakkanal in Idukki district, to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve after radio collaring it.
The elephant was given the moniker Arikomban because of its habit of raiding houses and ration shops to eat rice. Though the government had also proposed to capture the tusker and turn it into a kumki elephant, this was rejected by the HC. Enforcing the direction however will not be easy for the task force under the Forest Department as there is strong protest from the residents of Parambikulam, tribal communities and farmers’ organisations.
On April 11, a trial run by the Forest Department to translocate Arikomban was interrupted after residents including tribespeople protested at Vazhachal. The Forest Department is planning to take Arikomban to Muthuvarachal in Parambikulam through a forest route via Vazhachal after tranquilising it. The protests in Parambikulam have also intensified.
There are tribal communities and settlers dependent on farming who live in Parambikulam, a protected tiger reserve. While more than 600 tribal families live inside Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, another 2000 people live in and around the reserve, which is also a tourist attraction. They have already expressed their objection in bringing Arikomban to the region. “We depend on forest produce for a living. Until now we have had no major issues with wild animals. If this elephant (Arikomban) comes there possibilities of trouble. Since it's not a densely populated area, even if we raise objections, who is going to listen to us,” asks Velli, a resident of Parambikulam, who belongs to the Kadar tribe.
Parambikulam MLA K Babu has also raised strong objections against Arikomban being translocated to Parambikulam. “We are really concerned. Apart from the residents, there are more than 1000 government officials who live here. So the total population amounts to more than 3000. Why was the expert committee so admanet to translocate the elephant here? People are concerned and being their representative I will be with them,” he said.
There are strong criticisms over releasing the tusker in a tribal populated area. “In the tribal colonies, each house will have three or more families. This elephant is known to attack houses for food. The expert committee has misled the court,” the MLA said.
On April 10, the Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA) too had organised a protest in Palakkad district.
“The expert committee misled the court that Arikomban, which lived in a colder region, can be released in the Muthuvarachal of Oru Komban range in Parambikulam. Oru Kompan range road in Parambikulam may seem to be in the interior forest, but from there Kuryarkutty tribal colony can be reached in less than half an hour. Nelliyampathy Rosary Estate, Half Bridge, Alexandria, Beatrice, Carapara, Estates and Nelliyampathy tourism area are also at walkable distances for a wild elephant. Sholayar, Peringalkuthu, Thalika Kall, Kadapara, Chakola Estate, Kunchiyar Pati, areas can also be reached within hours through the forest. The report of the expert committee was given to the court by concealing this matter,” said a statement by KIFA’s Palakkad district committee.
But animal rights activists are firm on the stand that capturing the elephant is against the law and there are certain procedures to be followed. Vivek Viswanathan, the petitioner who moved court against the capture of Arikomban, told the media, “Only if the radio collaring option fails then the animal should be captured. That is why I approached the High Court. For a Schedule 1 animal, under the Wild Life Protection Act, captivity is the last option.”
The Forest Department had brought in four kumki elephants – Surendran, Surya, Kunju and Vikram – from Wayanad to Chinnakkanal. The delay in locating and tranquilising the elephant is due to a delay in getting a GPS radio collar from Assam.