Local residents in Vazhachal have interrupted the trial run of moving the rogue tusker Arikomban from Chinnakanal to Parambikulam due to protests. On Tuesday, they laid a siege to the Vazhachal checkpost, blocking vehicles since morning. The elephant was originally set to be relocated to Muthuvarachal in Parambikulam via Vazhachal, which is 10 kilometers away. However, protests are also occurring in Parambikulam after a High Court order directed the state Forest Department to relocate Arikomban to the forests in the area. The expert committee directed to release the elephant in the Muthuvarachal region after tranquilizing it in Idukki.
On Monday, protestors blocked the works to open a forest route in Athirappilly to facilitate Arikomban’s movement. Tribal protestors also disrupted the renovation of the Koop road from Vazhachal to Parambikulam to transport the elephant. The authorities plan to take the tranquilized elephant to Parambikulam through the Karamthodu forest route, crossing the river. However, tribals allege that the authorities may release the elephant halfway through the Vazhachal forests as it would be difficult to transport the animal through the route with steep climbs.
According to the Forest Rights Act, building roads or cutting down trees inside forests requires prior permission from the tribal collective or Oorukoottam. Geetha, the chieftain of the Vazhachal tribal settlements, charges that the steps for transporting Arikomban are being initiated without such consent. The rogue wild tusker has been causing trouble in the Chinnakanal and Shantanpara regions of Idukki for almost two decades. Arikomban is named for his love of stealing rice from ration shops, a combination of the Malayalam words ‘Ari’ (rice) and ‘Komban’ (tusker).
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