Anappara, Kerala : In a significant move the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) persuaded 30 people to voluntarily relocate from the Tirunelli-Kudrakote elephant corridor in the conflict-ridden southern Indian Kerala state.

The keys to their new houses at the alternative location were handed over by the local MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly), Mr. K. C. Kunjiraman, at a well attended event to mark the occasion.

Those who had opted to relocate were provided alternate houses, cultivativable land, drinking water, and other civic amenities by WTI with support from the UK-based World Land Trust and the IUCN Netherlands Committee.

The six kilometer corridor connects the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala with the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in neighbouring Karnataka state, and forms an important pathway for the elephant population in the Western Ghats.

The Thirulakunnu settlement, one of the five settlements in the corridor, had been a serious point of human-elephant conflict. The remaining four settlements would be relocated in the next phase.

WTI’s National Elephant Corridor Project aims at securing elephant corridors across the country.

“By an agreement with WTI, the villagers have already handed over five acres of leased land to the forest department. The remaining 4 acres, which was in private hands, was acquired by WTI, and would be later handed over to the forest department on the condition that this would be added to the existing PA.” Dr. P. S. Easa, Sr. Director WTI said.

“This is the first successful attempt by WTI to relocate people from an elephant corridor adjacent to a wildlife sanctuary, and we thank the villagers for their willingness to join in the conservation efforts.” Dr. Easa added.

Members of the local government i.e. the Gram Panchyat members, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Winston Sooting and the Wildlife warden of Wayanad WLS, Deepak Mishra attended the function.

The Gowda community which had been living here for the past four generations has moved out with the result that wild animals such as elephant, gaur, sambar and wild boar are regularly being sighted.

Of late, human – elephant conflict has been on the rise in the corridor. Villagers have been living in fear from wild elephants who came and destroyed their crops and houses.

Farming, timber collection and cattle grazing by villagers in the corridor contributed to the increase in conflicts in recent times.

The department had dug trenches, installed electric fences and built stone walls, but these measures had never been foolproof.

Heavy rainfall would fill up the trenches with mud silt, and once again they had to start digging the trenches. In some places, rocky terrain and natural streams made digging trenches unfeasible. The solar powered electric fences were either damaged due to falling trees or by elephants.

During 2005 and 2006, the department had paid nearly 5, 63,329 rupees as compensation to the farmers for damages caused by elephants.

As part of the project, information on different plant and animal species, use of the corridor by wild animals, and forest cover etc. were collected by WTI to initiate conservation actions.

The Thirulakunnu settlement was in the middle of the corridor and wild animals competed with the villagers for space, food and water.

“In 2006, discussions on the relocation were initiated with the village head, Kalapa Gowda, and the villagers and within a record time of one year, the entire village was relocated.” Sabu Jahas, Sr. Field officer of WTI said.

“WTI has compensated them with equal value of their land – with land rights to all the relocated families.” Jahas added.

The four other villages in the corridor include Pulayankolli, Edayurvayal, Valia Emmadi and Cheriya Emmadi.