Fourth settlement secured in Wayanad elephant corridor; lone resident relocated

Wayanad (Kerala), September 28, 2010: Moving a step ahead in the securement of the high priority Wayanad elephant corridor in the south Indian state of Kerala, the Forest Department and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) supported by UK based Elephant Family, has secured Kottapady settlement by facilitating voluntary relocation of the lone resident, Lakshmi Amma.  Roughly 8.5 acres of land, of which 0.25 was occupied by Lakshmi was acquired; the remaining acreage belonged to a non-resident owner.

Kottapady is the fourth settlement within the Wayanad corridor located in the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats, to have been secured through voluntary relocation and rehabilitation of the residents. The corridor (also known as Tirunelli-Kudrakote) connects Brahmagiri and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuaries, and is a part of a 12,000 sq km landscape that supports more than 6,300 wild elephants.

“As part of our national elephant corridor securement project, we had already secured land from Thirulakunnu, Valiya Emmadi and Pulayankolly settlements. Kottapady securement was unique as Lakshmi was the only resident here. In all of these land securement cases, we ensure that the residents being relocated feel that the process was justified. Lakshmi Amma had a different sense of justification in that she needed to be sure that the land was used for a good cause and we are proud that she found that in our project,” said Dr Sandeep Kumar Tiwari, Head of Wild Lands division, WTI.

Having led 17 solitary years in Kottapady, 68 year old Lakshmi had a deep attachment to nature.  She first moved into the area with her husband 40 years ago and continued living there even after being widowed 17 years ago, with virtually no protection or support, and cultivating crops such as guava, coffee and pepper for subsistence. Running out of basic provisions meant a three-kilometre long trek at her age to the village of Appapara. On her way she often came across tigers, leopards and of course elephants.

Uncannily, unlike others living within the corridor, Lakshmi was not disturbed by human-animal conflicts or interactions. She believes that the elephants never attacked her because ‘they are essentially a form of the elephant-headed god in the Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha’.

However, over the past five years, owing to old-age, she desired to move out of the forest. Despite this wish, the lack of right assistance and circumstances forced Lakshmi to continue in Kottapady. When WTI staff Sabu Jahas and Ramkumar approached her and offered to relocate her as part of the corridor securement process, she readily agreed, having heard of the organisation’s conservation efforts. “I (had) already heard about the relocation programme of WTI in Thirulakunnu, Valiya Emmadi and Pulayankolly villages to secure the elephant corridor. I saw some of the relocated villagers in Panavaly and they said they got very good (relocation) package. Now we are sleeping safely without the fear of elephants,” she said.

Being childless, Lakshmi considers the animals to be her children and that human beings are more harmful than wild animals. “I refused to give this land (Kottapady) for tourism and other purposes. Now I am happily giving this land to WTI because they are buying this land for conserving my children, the elephants,” she said. Kottapady securement process was completed last week when at a small event in Kalpetti, Wayanad, Sathyan AV, Chief Finance Officer, WTI transferred the ownership of the new house at the relocation site in Panavaly, to Lakshmi.

Lakshmi is more than satisfied with her new home in Panavaly. At the alternate site, she can earn a minimum annual income of Rs 20,000 from coffee, pepper and coconut plantations on her 0.25 acre plot. “Initially I thought that I would never get the chance to be living outside forest with some good land and a respectable house. But WTI made it possible and I really appreciate the organisation.” An amount of one lakh rupees has also been deposited in her bank account by the organisation for starting expenses.

Rehabilitation of Lakshmi and acquisition of Kottapady marks the near-total securement of Wayanad Elephant Corridor, with only one settlement remaining within.  The corridor once completely secured will be handed over to the State Forest Department for notification as part of Wayanad WLS, as per the policy of WTI as well as EF that funds this project as part of their primary objective to conserve Asian elephants and their habitats.