Wild elephant rescued from well in Kothamangalam, returned to forest
The tusker was found in the well located in the compound of Varghese, a resident of Kottappady, during the morning hours.
The tusker was found in the well located in the compound of Varghese, a resident of Kottappady, during the morning hours.
The tusker was found in the well located in the compound of Varghese, a resident of Kottappady, during the morning hours.
Kothamangalam: A wild elephant that fell into a well in Kothamangalam’s Kottappady on Sunday morning was rescued after a three-hour-long effort. The approximately 15-year-old jumbo was driven back to the forest by bursting firecrackers. Forest officials are camping in the area to ensure the elephant's safe return to its natural habitat.
A ramp was created using an earthmover to allow the elephant to climb out of the well. As the frightened animal struggled in the confined space, forest officials urged onlookers to stay alert and cleared the crowd to ensure a safe rescue operation.
The tusker was found in the well located in the compound of Varghese, a resident of Kottappady, on Sunday morning.
Ernakulam District Collector G Priyanka imposed prohibitory orders in the region while the forest department conducted the rescue operation. Addressing the media here, she declared that immediate action would be taken to solve the frequent wild elephant intrusion in the area. The district collector and Divisional Forest Officer promised the people that solar fencing work would commence soon in the region.
" A project to end the human-animal conflict in the region is already under consideration. It will be implemented soon as the weather conditions are favourable," said the collector.
Protest and rescue efforts
The rescue operations were delayed as people protested against the forest officials over lapses in constructing a solar fence in the village near the forest. However, the operation was launched around 10.30 am after the Divisional Forest Officer held talks with the protesters and the landowner. But it was suspended following MLA Antony John's intervention. He declared that the elephant should not be rescued until the forest department promises a permanent solution for the frequent wild elephant intrusions in the region.
Later, District Collector G Priyanka arrived at the scene and pacified the MLA and other protesters. She assured the public that a project would be implemented to end the wild animal attacks in the panchayat. Following this, the operation resumed by 12.30 pm.
Before the CPM legislator's intervention, the people also staged a protest, blocking the forest officials from launching the rescue operation. The mission was launched after the Divisional Forest Officer pacified the protesters.
DFO promises compensation to landowner
The rescue operation was launched after the Kothamangalam Divisional Forest Officer, Santhosh Kumar, met with the landowner and promised him that a cheque of ₹1 lakh would be given as compensation for the demolition of the well.
Observing the ongoing protest, he declared that the forest department would soon commence solar fencing work in the Kottappady panchayat. Though the landowner refused permission to demolish the well, the forest officials were able to convince him. According to the landowner, many people are fetching water from the well.
Residents alleged that the forest department would not compensate the landowner if damage were caused, citing a previous incident. They alleged that the forest department failed to take action to fence in the area, despite the government having approved funds. The protest had previously stalled rescue efforts.
In April 2024, a similar incident was reported in Kothamangalam when a wild elephant fell into a well in a rubber plantation at Kottappady. The animal was rescued after a 16-hour operation in which an earthmover was used to construct a ramp for it to climb out.