UDF seeks Kerala CM's urgent intervention in elephant attack, Munambam issues

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 12 (PTI) The Congress-led UDF opposition on Wednesday sought Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's immediate intervention to resolve the issue of wild animal attacks in the state and the Munambam Waqf land dispute.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, speaking during the discussion on the budget for the financial year 2025–2026, said that one more person died on Wednesday due to an elephant attack.

With this, the number of people killed by pachyderms has risen to four in the last three days and five in the past week in the high-range areas of the state, he added.

A 27-year-old man, identified as Balakrishnan, was killed in a wild elephant attack in Wayanad district in the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident was reported a day after a 45-year-old man was killed in a wild elephant attack in a forest fringe area in Noolpuzha village on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in this district.

Satheesan requested the CM to urgently take some steps, like setting up a Rapid Response Team or providing food and water inside the forest for the elephants so that they do not come out as the temperatures rise, to prevent further human deaths.

"People are in fear. The government needs to act. Its presence has to be there. For God's sake, please do something. The people who have elected you to power expect you to be with them in such times. They need to be given confidence.

"Unfortunately, the presence of the government is not there. Funds have not been given to the Forest department to carry out preventive actions like setting up fencing or rail guards," the opposition leader contended.

He also drew the CM's attention to the Munambam issue and said that Vijayan should intervene in the matter and assure the people that the issue will be resolved.

Satheesan said that the CM had promised the affected people that they would not be evicted and they would be given permanent titles to the land.

"Please take steps to give them the permanent title to the land. You promised them that. We will support you in that. Please try to prevent social unrest in that place on this issue. We should work together on the issue. I request your urgent intervention in the issue," the opposition leader said.

The Justice C N Ramachandran Nair Commission, appointed by the Kerala government to look into the Munambam land dispute, has temporarily wound up its operations.

The decision came after the state government told the High Court that the commission was neither a judicial nor a quasi-judicial body and had no power to enforce its recommendations.

Ramachandran Nair had said that the functioning of the commission was being halted until the High Court pronounced the final verdict in the petition challenging its appointment.

In response to a petition filed by the Kerala Waqf Samrakshana Vedhi, Ernakulam, challenging the state government's order appointing the commission, the state government had recently submitted that the commission was only a fact-finding authority and has no power to adjudicate on questions of title or disputes.

In the villages of Cherai and Munambam in Ernakulam district, residents have alleged that the Waqf Board was unlawfully claiming their land and properties, despite the people holding registered deeds and land tax payment receipts. PTI HMP SSK HMP SSK KH

Source: PTI