A newly formed special task force in the Idukki district to address human-animal conflicts held a meeting on Tuesday at the Chinnakkanal panchayat conference hall.
The task force that met on Tuesday included District Legal Service Authority secretary and Sub Judge P.A. Sirajudheen, Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ramesh Bishnoi, Devikulam Subcollector Rahul Krishna Sharma, Chinnakkanal panchayat president Sini Baby, Santhanpara panchayat president Liju Varghese, and Santhanpara Station House Officer (SHO) Manoj Kumar.
According to officials, the meeting mainly discussed major human-wildlife conflict areas and the ways to reduce the conflicts. In the meeting, the Chinnakkanal and Santhanpara panchayat presidents demanded the immediate capture of tusker Arikompan.
The panchayat presidents also urged fixing of solar fencing in many more border areas of the panchayats. According to the officials, the committee will submit a report before the High Court before May 3.
Meanwhile, the High Court-appointed five-member expert panel on Tuesday handed over to the State government its choice of an alternative spot to shift Arikompan. The committee had on Monday conducted a virtual meeting to approve one of the locations from the list of spots submitted by the State government.
“If the government approves the committee’s proposal, it could direct the Forest department to go ahead with the mission and translocate Arikompan to the new place without the High Court approval,” said a source.
The Forest department has already started preparations for Mission Arikompan. A senior Forest department official said special team members had been asked to reach Munnar and complete arrangements for the mission. “Chief Veterinary Surgeon Arun Zachariah and the team will reach Munnar soon,” said the official.
