Two allies in the ruling Left front in Kerala have been having a heated exchange of words after the relocation of a rogue wild tusker, Arikomban, from Chinnakanal in Idukki to the Periyar Tiger Reserve near the Tamil Nadu border on Saturday morning. This has caused distress as the tusker has been seen terrorizing the residents of the Cumbum town in Tamil Nadu, close to the popular wildlife sanctuary and tourist destination, Thekkady.
Kerala Congress (M) leader and Member of the Rajya Sabha, Jose K. Mani criticized the relocation of Arikomban saying it was a failed operation and the Wildlife Laws needed to be revised. He further explained that their strongholds, primarily in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode districts have come under severe attacks from tigers, elephants and wild gaurs causing loss of lives and damage of crops.
In response, the State Forest and Wildlife Minister A.K. Saseendran of the NCP defended the relocation operation, saying that they were not attempting to drive the elephant away, and that their officials had been in touch with those in Tamil Nadu for regular updates.
Unfortunately, soon after the word exchange on Arikomban, news broke out of a tiger roaming around wreaking havoc in Pathanamthitta district. Local legislator Pramod Narayan, also from the Kerala Congress (M), questioned the Forest department and said that the wild animal should be shot if it threatened the humans. In a similar incident, Kozhikode witnessed a gaur attacking and injuring a rubber tapper. The victim is recovering in a hospital.
The government needs to look into more stringent rules and regulations regarding wild animals to ensure that human safety and interests are taken into account. It is also essential to consider the welfare of these animals and ensure that they are relocated in a safe and secure place.
