Wild animals force tribal families in Kerala out of forest
KOCHI: They have been fighting off ferocious tigers, marauding elephants and dangerous wild gaur all their lives. But with wild animals turning more aggressive and laws protecting wildlife becoming more stringent, tribal communities are finding their hands increasingly tied. A group of 79 families from eight settlements in Kuttampuzha forest, near Kothamangalam, have abandoned their land and taken refuge at Panthapra tribal colony, on the forest fringe. But, the ruthless attitude of the forest department has made them aliens in their own backyard.
The families from seven settlements in Variyam colony and one from Thumpimedu in Uriyampatti, made their way to Panthapra in batches between March and June. They also put up tents. In July, district collector N S K Umesh visited Panthapra and allowed them to set up temporary tents on the 20 acres allocated for common facilities in the colony. The families want the government to take over their land deep in the forest and allocate two acres each at Panthapra.
But officials say land can be allocated only if an entire colony vacates and transfers land to the department. Only two colonies of Variyam-Meenkulam and Mappilapara have completely relocated, which means only 20 families from these colonies are eligible for land. The remaining 59 families who have been living in temporary sheds made of bamboo reeds and tarpaulin stare at a bleak future. “There has been an increase in wild gaur attacks in Uriyampatti colony. Wild elephants destroy our houses and gaur, deer and wild boar destroy our crops. Life has become miserable in the forest. Recently, an elderly person was killed by a wild gaur. We cultivate pepper, turmeric, areca nut, coconut and other crops in the forest. Some of us collect forest produce. Now it has become dangerous to live there,” said Babu, from Uriyampatti.
“If somebody falls ill we have to hire a jeep and travel for four hours to reach Kuttampuzha. It is impossible to travel during night hours. Even then we have to pay `5,500 every time we rent a jeep. If the government allocates land at Panthapra we will be able to live peacefully,” said Sumitra, also from Uriyampatti.
“There are elephants, gaur and tigers in the forest and the menace has increased recently. We love the forest, but I decided to move out as I am concerned about the safety of the children,” said Pappalamma, an elderly woman from Meenkulam.
History of Panthapra settlement
In 2009, 96 families of eight settlements abandoned their forest land and set up tents at Kandanpara fearing wild elephant attacks. They launched an agitation and approached the High Court seeking land on the outskirts of the forest. In June 2014, the HC ordered land allocation and the government decided to set apart 523 acres at Panthapra for 218 families.
Of the 523 acres, 87 acres were set aside for common facilities. In 2015, CM Oommen Chandy visited Panthapra and announced a package allocating two acres of land and `10 lakh for constructing houses. However, 151 families changed their decision and decided to stay in the forest.
Later, 67 families approached the government and a revised package was announced allocating each of them two acres.
