As the Nilambur assembly bypoll looms on June 19, 2025, escalating human-animal conflicts, particularly involving elephants and wild boars, dominate voter concerns in this Kerala constituency. Bordering dense forests, Nilambur’s residents face frequent crop raids and attacks, with a January 5 elephant trampling death intensifying demands for action. Political parties—Congress, CPI(M), and Trinamool-backed PV Anvar—face pressure to address this crisis, which claimed 451 lives statewide from 2020-2024.
In This Article:
A Region Under Siege
Nilambur, part of Wayanad’s parliamentary constituency, is surrounded by the Nilambur North and South Forest Divisions, making human-wildlife encounters a daily reality. On June 13, 2025, farmer Hussain in Edakkara panchayat lost his plantain field to an elephant that destroyed a new fence. “Nobody goes near the forest now,” he told India Today, citing wild boars injuring his son in a motorcycle accident. A tribal family 100 meters from the forest lives in fear, with Suresh noting, “Wild boars are as bad as elephants after dark.” A tragic June 8 incident saw 15-year-old Ananthu die in an illegal wild boar trap, sparking protests and political blame games.
Escalating Toll and Inaction
Kerala reported 8,873 human-wildlife conflicts in 2022-23, with Nilambur among the worst-hit, recording 94 major conflict zones. Elephants caused 4,193 incidents, wild boars 1,524, leading to 98 human deaths and 871 injuries statewide. From 2020-2024, 102 elephant-related deaths occurred in Kerala, with wild boars killing 78 between 2017-2021. The January 5, 2025, death of tribal man Mani in Poochappara, trampled while returning from a hostel, prompted vandalism of the District Forest Officer’s office by locals, led by MLA PV Anvar, who accused the forest department of negligence.
Root Causes and Failed Measures
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) blames Kerala’s forest department for mismanaging habitats, with 21.81% of forest land diverted for non-forest use, including IIT Palakkad’s campus in the Nilambur elephant reserve. Fragmented corridors, invasive species, and monoculture plantations like eucalyptus reduce food and water, pushing elephants and boars into farms. Solar fences and trenches, part of a ₹33.19 crore initiative, deter elephants but fail against boars. The state’s push to declare boars vermin for culling was rejected by the Centre, frustrating Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Political Promises in the Bypoll
The bypoll, featuring Congress’s Aryadan Shoukath, CPI(M)’s M Swaraj, and PV Anvar, has turned man-animal conflict into a key issue. Congress accuses the CPI(M) government of inaction, while CPI(M) blames Central laws. Anvar’s protests highlight local desperation. Voters demand early warning systems, better fencing, and compensation.
Nilambur’s bypoll underscores the urgent need to address human-animal conflict, with elephants and wild boars threatening lives and livelihoods. As parties vie for votes, residents seek tangible solutions over rhetoric.
By – Manoj