Wild animal menace: solar-powered hanging fences to be set up around vulnerable areas in Chakkittappara panchayat in Keralam’s Kozhikode

Field work for the installation of solar-powered hanging fences has begun in Chakkittappara grama panchayat in Kozhikode district in Keralam to address recurring incidents of wild animals entering human settlements and damaging crops in the hilly areas.

The initial work began at Randamcheeli in Poozhithode. The fence is being installed across vulnerable stretches in Poozhithode, Chempanoda and Alambara, where residents have reported frequent incursions by wild elephants, wild boars and monkeys.

The project forms part of a wider Forest department initiative to install hanging solar fences along about 64 km of vulnerable forest borders in Kozhikode district. The initiative was launched during the tenure of the Left Democratic Front government and covers selected locations under the Peruvannamoozhi, Kuttiyadi and Thamarassery forest ranges.

Delayed

According to Forest department officials, the work at Chakkittappara was initiated by the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society about a year ago but progressed slowly. Local residents and elected representatives had raised concerns over the delay, particularly as repeated wildlife incursions had caused substantial crop losses and posed a threat to people’s lives and property.

Trees removed

Last week, trees that obstructed the proposed fence alignment were removed along a stretch of about 5 km from Randamcheeli to Ambattupadi. Earthmoving work is now in progress to prepare the ground and install the fence posts.

Under the Peruvannamoozhi range, the project covers Alampara, Undamoola, Muthappanpuzha, Seethappara and Chenkottakolly. About 18 km of fencing is being installed within Chakkittappara panchayat at a cost of ₹2.72 crore.

In the Kuttiyadi range, the project covers 17.5 km in Kavilumpara, Venimel and Narippatta panchayats. In the Thamarassery range, about 12 km of fencing is planned in vulnerable areas of Thiruvambady, Kodenchery and Puthuppady. A further 16 km is being taken up under an Agriculture department-funded scheme in vulnerable stretches of Thiruvambady and Koodaranji panchayats.

The Forest department is also planning maintenance of existing fences in the Peruvannamoozhi, Kuttiyadi and Thamarassery ranges. A senior Forest department officer confirms that the maintenance work is expected to ensure the proper functioning of power fences covering about 27 km.

According to the leaders of various settler farmers’ organisations, the wild elephants had already destroyed several acres of land in the upland areas where farmers cultivated coconut, areca nut, plantain, cocoa and nutmeg. All the lost plants and trees were high-yielding varieties cultivated by farmers making huge investments, they pointed out.

Farmers in panchayats like Kodenchery, Maruthongara and Kavilumpara also have demanded that protective measures against the wild animal incursions be fortified. According to them, the majority of the farmers were yet to get reasonable compensation for the destruction caused by the wild animals. Many were struggling to repay the agricultural loans with the falling revenue from the agriculture sector, they claimed.