Night travel, work restricted in Idukki plantations; human-wildlife conflict cited

Idukki: The Idukki district administration has imposed night travel restrictions in plantations located adjacent to forest areas, citing the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the district.

According to a letter issued by Idukki District Collector Dr Dinesan Cheruvat, human movement and night work at plantations have been strictly restricted from 6 pm to 6 am. The Collector directed the Incident Response Commanders of Udumbanchola, Peerumade and Devikulam to ensure that people working and residing in plantations adjoining forest areas do not engage in movement or plantation-related activities during the restricted hours.

The move comes amid growing concerns over human-wildlife conflict in forest-fringe areas of the district. The administration said it was taking the measure as a precaution to ensure public safety and prevent wildlife attacks.

However, the district administration has clarified that the restriction applies only to roads and areas within plantations and does not amount to a blanket ban on night travel in Idukki.

Deputy Collector Binu Joseph said the instruction does not restrict anyone's freedom of movement and that major public roads, including the Aluva–Munnar Road and KK Road, remain open to traffic. “Most of the areas in Peerumade, Udumbanchola and Devikulam taluks are plantations located close to forest areas. However, there is no restriction on travel along major roads. No one's freedom of movement has been prohibited. This is not an order but only a letter,” Binu Joseph said.

He said there had been misinformation about the instruction and clarified that the restriction was limited to roads within plantations. The administration is taking the measure as a precautionary step in view of wildlife-related incidents reported in several areas, he said.

The restriction has nevertheless raised concerns among residents and plantation workers over its possible impact on their daily lives.

Idukki Diocese Media Commission director Fr Jins Karakkat said the directives were unclear and could effectively restrict the movement of people in Peerumade, Udumbanchola and Devikulam taluks during the night. He pointed out that several roads and residential areas in these taluks were located close to forest areas and plantations, and said it was unclear which specific roads and locations would come under the restriction.

The restrictions could also affect plantation workers whose work schedules extend into the evening. R Samraj, manager of Tyford Estate in Peermade, said workers often return home only around 8 pm after completing tasks such as tea-leaf plucking. He also noted that factories located within plantations operate at night.

The move comes shortly after the district administration directed the removal of fences along elephant corridors as part of measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict.