The Forest department has decided to install power fences to prevent gaurs from entering residential areas near the Kakkayam eco-tourism spot in Kozhikode district. Vulnerable stretches of forest land, covering about 2.5 km, will be fenced in the coming months.
A team of Forest department officers recently visited the project site along with local body members and farmers to assess field-level requirements. The project had been pending for over a year due to various technical reasons.
“There were strong protests against the Forest department’s alleged laxity in implementing preventive measures in the upland area, even after the death of a 70-year-old man following a gaur attack at Kakkayam. A family narrowly escaped a similar attack at the tourism site nearly a year ago,” said V. Biju, a local farmer. He added that such incidents have been recurring, as the dam site road remains open, allowing unrestricted entry of wild gaurs.
Farmers’ organisations, along with political party leaders, had expressed solidarity with the residents’ demands for stronger safety measures. They also held protest marches to Forest department offices, urging quicker implementation of preventive steps.
In response to the public outcry, the Forest department was forced to temporarily shut down the eco-tourism site for about a month. Even after reopening, several incidents of gaur intrusion were reported at the location. Forest department sources said the power fencing project would be completed at the earliest to address public concerns.
Published – May 23, 2025 09:20 pm IST
