Revenue Commissioner H. Dineshan joined Idukki District Collector Dineshan Cheruvat and Devikulam Sub-Collector V. M. Arya in a field inspection on Saturday, scrutinizing the areas around the Anayirankal dam and 301 Colony in Chinnakkanal. This visit was prompted by a Forest department report to the Revenue department, which flagged serious illegal land use in these regions.
The report, drafted by the Devikulam Range Officer, revealed that a resident from Rajakumari had unlawfully seized two hectares of land within the dam's catchment area. The person had reportedly erected fences, tents, treehouses, and other makeshift structures to accommodate tourists overnight. There was also an unauthorized trekking path being used between the catchment area and 301 Colony, a known site where a herd of 17 wild elephants resides.
Officials are alarmed by these encroachments, as they block crucial elephant corridors leading to the dam. The range officer's letter underscored that the presence of tourists, late-night parties, and various accommodations along these wildlife routes pose a significant safety risk. The letter cautioned that such commercial ventures could trigger dangerous encounters between humans and wildlife.
“This area is the regular habitat and movement corridor for wild elephants, ” the letter stated, urging the dismantling of all illegal structures and tree huts in the catchment area.
Revenue authorities have announced that eviction actions against those occupying the land illegally will start soon. The land is under the control of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), which pays the land tax to the Chinnakkanal village office, and no private ownership rights exist over it.
Local tribal communities have raised alarms, linking the fences and blocked corridors to a rise in deadly human-elephant interactions in Chinnakkanal. A forest official explained that the catchment area of the Anayirankal dam is a key elephant habitat and that tourism activities, illegal farming, and solar fencing disrupt their movements, leading to repeated conflicts. The official emphasized that resolving these issues requires the removal of encroachments.
During the inspection, local residents voiced formal complaints to the visiting officials about outsiders encroaching on their land, demanding swift action. Murukeshan, a resident of the Panthadikkalam tribal settlement and a member of the committee studying issues in Chinnakkanal, pointed out that encroachers had installed solar fences and iron barriers across active elephant corridors. He urged the district administration to clear all illegal encroachments without delay.
Officials also noted that outsiders have been leasing land from tribal families in 301 Colony to run unauthorized cardamom plantations. These activities further complicate the situation, as they contribute to the disruption of elephant habitats and increase the potential for human-animal conflicts.
