For the residents of Delampady grama panchayat in the district, life came to a standstill after four roads to the neighbouring State of Karnataka were blocked recently by dumping truckloads of laterite soil. Now, a herd of elephants wandering into the village has made life miserable for locals.
The panchayat situated along the Kerala-Karnataka border has four roads that help people travel to the neighbouring State. The roads from the wards Parappa, Ujjampady, Mayyala, and Delampady in the panchayat are connected to Karanataka.
However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, the road closure by the Karnataka Police has left Delampady residents in the lurch. Aithappa Naika, ward member of Delampady, said a majority of the residents were members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, who were totally dependent on Karanataka for most of their needs. They sold their agriculture produce and bought things for daily requirements from the neighbouring State, he said.
But, after the region got disconnected, people were forced to walk through the road that passes through the forest. The presence of elephants had added to their woes, with locals unable to step out even for their basic needs, he added.
Delampady panchayat president Mustafa said the stock of supplies was depleting and the panchayat could hang on for only two more days. With elephants crossing the Mandakol forest in Karnataka and over to the Parappa reserve forest in the State, people would have no access to the nearest town.
“We have written to the Chief Minister to speak with the Karnataka authorities and to get at least one road cleared so that people have immediate access in case of an emergency,” he said.
Kasaragod Forest officials said their efforts to chase away the elephants had been unsuccessful, with the availability of water and food bringing the animals back to the region. They could prevent the pachyderms from frequenting the region by setting up trenches and other facilities only if adequate funds were allocated, said a senior official.
