Special RRT deployed in Chinnakanal amid rising elephant attacks

Idukki: The Kerala Forest Department has constituted a Special Rapid Response Team (RRT) in Chinnakanal to tackle the growing threat posed by wild animals, particularly elephants, in the region.

An order appointing officials to the 11-member team was issued on Sunday evening, following a series of elephant attacks in the area that claimed the lives of a woman and a plantation worker.

The move fulfils an assurance given by Forest Minister Shibu Baby John during his visit to Chinnakanal following the death of Mari, a woman who was killed in an elephant attack last month. Although an order had earlier been issued to form a Special RRT, officials had not been appointed to the team.

The process was expedited after another plantation worker was killed in an elephant attack in Chinnakanal recently. On the eve of Thiruvonam, the worker was attacked and killed by a wild elephant, highlighting the growing severity of human-elephant conflict in the region.

Chinnakanal falls under the Devikulam Forest Range and has witnessed frequent encounters between humans and wild elephants. Until now, members of the Devikulam RRT were deployed to Chinnakanal whenever elephant attacks or other wildlife-related emergencies were reported.

Residents and local stakeholders had been demanding a dedicated RRT stationed in Chinnakanal, citing the increasing frequency and severity of wildlife attacks. The Forest Minister had assured them that a separate team would be deployed in the area.

11-member team
The newly constituted Special RRT will be headed by Deputy Range Forest Officer JK Sreekanth. The team comprises two Section Forest Officers, four Beat Forest Officers, four Forest Beat Assistants and a driver.

The team is scheduled to begin operations from Monday. The minister had also assured that a dedicated vehicle would be provided for its operations.

The deployment of a dedicated RRT is expected to strengthen the Forest Department's response to wildlife emergencies and help prevent further elephant attacks in Chinnakanal.

Residents hope that having a team stationed specifically in the region will enable quicker intervention during wildlife incursions and provide greater protection to people living and working in the area.