Panel to study availability of fodder for elephants in Idukki’s Devikulam conflict-hit region, officials say

Following a sharp increase in human-elephant conflicts, a four-member panel was appointed to study mitigation measures. | Photo credit: Sandeep Vellaram

Amid allegations from farmers’ groups that the authorities are trying to restore the wild elephant corridor in Chinnakkanal, officials said an expert committee appointed by the district collector is primarily studying the availability of fodder for wild elephants in the conflict-hit area under Devikulam forest.

Following a spike in human-elephant conflicts and fatalities in Chinnakkanal, Rajakumari and Santhanpara panchayats, district collector Dineshan Cheruvatt recently appointed a four-member expert committee to identify the causes and suggest mitigation measures.

“The allegation that the panel was set up to restore the elephant corridor is baseless,” said a senior forest official. According to the official, the team’s primary mandate is to assess whether the grass coming from Chinnakkanal and the surrounding hills is palatable to wild elephants and determine whether the animals are entering human habitations in search of food or just using these areas as transit routes.

High risk zones

“Additionally, the team will evaluate habitat management strategies, including identification of suitable indigenous grass species for planting in elephant habitats in the Devikulam area. The panel will also map high-risk zones that have witnessed repeated attacks,” the official added.

The panel comprises PS Easa, former director of the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) and member of the IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group; Rajan Pilakandy, scientist at KFRI; Jomy Augustine, retired professor and former head of the Department of Botany at St. Thomas College, Pala; and Murukesan, a tribal community member from Enpath Acre area, Chinnakkanal.

Report to collector

Officials said the panel is continuing its field study and will submit a comprehensive report to the Collector soon.

Meanwhile, areas under the Devikulam forest remain unsafe for local residents due to ongoing elephant attacks. Four people have lost their lives in encounters with elephants within range in the last four months.

Published – 19 Oct 2026 06:26 IST