A herd of seven wild elephants, including a cub and two tuskers, have caused enormous damage to the plantation areas of Kannimala in Munnar.
The herd has been staying at Kannimala, Namakkad, and Kadalar since January 18 and damaged estate bungalows, nurseries, hospital building, workers’ quarters, vegetable farms, and vehicles parked in front of the estate quarters, in addition to the water pipelines to the residences of managers and workers, said an official of Kanan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) Ltd.
Workers afraid
The estate workers were confined to the quarters during night hours and were afraid of attack by the elephants, he said.
Members of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) under the Forest Department are expected to arrive in a day, the official said. Estate workers said that students had stopped going to school. The workers would reach the quarters before nightfall. On Monday, an autorickshaw parked there was destroyed. Usually, a herd coming to the plantation moves to forests in two to three days and does not damage property. They are chased away using the sound of tigers and crackers.
