Sunny Joseph, MLA, has accused the State government and the Forest department of failing to address the escalating human-wildlife conflict in Aralam and Kannur which has claimed 17 lives.
He alleged that despite repeated pleas and first-hand evidence of the dangers involved, the authorities had remained inactive.
Inaugurating a protest march taken out by the Youth Congress district committee to the office of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) on Tuesday, Mr. Joseph questioned the delay in constructing the elephant-proof wall. “Even after administrative approval, the project is being dragged on with no real action being taken on it,” he alleged.
The agitation reportedly escalated into a scuffle between the protesters and the police, leading to the latter using water cannon twice to disperse the crowd.
Youth Congress district president Vijil Mohanan and State general secretary Rahul Vechiyot were present.
