Officials Inspect Encroachment Sites Near Anayirankal Dam Over Elephant Safety Concerns

A team of senior officials, including the Land Revenue Commissioner and the Idukki District Collector, visited the Anayirankal dam catchment area and 301 Colony on Saturday. The inspection was prompted by a Forest Department report detailing widespread illegal land occupation.

Investigations revealed that unauthorised individuals have set up tents, treehouses, and fences on government-owned land. These structures, along with illegal trekking routes, have blocked critical pathways used by a herd of 17 wild elephants.

Forest officials warned that commercial activities and late-night tourism events in these corridors create dangerous conditions for both humans and wildlife. The land in question is under the Kerala State Electricity Board, and no private ownership is permitted.

Local tribal residents have raised formal complaints, noting that outsiders are leasing land for illegal cardamom farming and erecting barriers. Officials have pledged to initiate eviction proceedings to clear the area and restore the natural movement of the elephant population.