Wayanad Collector orders urgent relocation of Attamala tribal families amid rising wildlife threat

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Meppadi/Wayanad: Wayanad District Collector Dr Meghasree on Friday made a surprise visit to the tribal settlements in Erattukkund and Attamala near Mundakkai following the death of a local resident in a wild elephant attack. She directed officials to arrange the immediate relocation of the families to a safer zone with reduced wildlife presence.
The decision comes after the tragic death of Balakrishnan (27) on Wednesday. He was attacked while walking through a tea plantation on his way home from visiting relatives. Apart from being a workplace for farm labourers during the day, the region is home to a few Paniya tribal settlements. Despite previous attempts to relocate them to areas closer to human habitation, the community has remained reluctant to move.
During her visit, the Collector interacted with the residents, engaging warmly with children and women. When families voiced their concerns about relocating, she firmly stated that remaining in the same habitat would only lead to further tragedies. She assured them that a special meeting with forest department officials would be convened soon to discuss their translocation.
Dr Meghasree also noted that many children in the settlement were not attending regular school. She urged parents to enrol them in residential pre-matric hostels run by the tribal department. Additionally, she instructed tribal promoters to ensure improved sanitation and hygiene in the settlement.
She was accompanied by Additional District Magistrate K Devaki, Tahsildar RS Saji, Deputy Tahsildar Tomichan Antony, and other officials.