The complaint of over 200 villagers, including women and children, who sustained injuries in the attack of otters in the Iruvazhinji river is yet to evoke any action on the part of the Forest department. Their demand to protect around 50 vulnerable bathing points in the river with steel mesh also remains unaddressed.
“The villagers are really scared as they have been facing this menace for over three years. Around 20-km stretch of the river between Mukkom and Koolimadu area is experiencing the trouble,” said P.K. Faizal, a social worker from the area. He said that the population of otters is also on the rise in the area.
The local residents said that the Forest department’s attempt to catch otters using traps has been found failing throughout these years. Despite failed experiments, these officers are continuing with the same method, they said.
At a recent meeting, people who sustained injuries in the attack of the mammal have also demanded the State government to sanction financial aid for meeting the treatment expenses of victims. According to them, at least ₹10,000 should be sanctioned for injured persons.
The river protection committee members from Mukkom and surrounding villages said that there are many underprivileged families who still depend on the Iruvazhinji river for bathing and washing clothes. There are also youngsters who make use of the river for improving their swimming skills. With the otters’ threat, many of them are keeping away from the river bank, they said.
