Dumping yard a death trap for wild elephants in Munnar

Dumping yard here remains a pressing concern as the local wild elephant population often wander into the yard, consuming the hazardous non-segregated plastic waste.

The influx of tourists to Munnar hill station surged following the implementation of e-pass regulations for tourists entering Nilgiris and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. However, the dumping yard in Munnar remains a pressing concern as it poses a threat to the local wild elephant population often wander into the yard consuming the hazardous non-segregated plastic waste.

Thodupuzha-based wildlife photographer Arun Raj Pillai described encountering three wild elephants, including the tusker Padayappa, feeding on waste within the yard. “There’s a massive amount of non-segregated waste dumped here,” Pillai sasid.

Balachandran V., vice president of Munnar panchayat, acknowledged the waste management challenge and emphasised their efforts to address it. “Following the implementation of e-pass systems in Kodikkanal and Ooty, Munnar gained in the number of tourists. Unfortunately, some tourists discard food waste along roadsides exacerbating the issue,” he said.

In January, two wild elephants were discovered consuming plastic waste from the panchayat-owned dumping yard at Kallar. This prompted intervention from the Kerala High Court as well as the State government, urging immediate action to clean up the yard and improve waste management practices.

M.N. Jayachandran, district secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), criticised the authorities for their inaction, vowing to petition the High Court for urgent measures to safeguard wild elephants from the hazards posed by plastic waste.

Former Munnar panchayat secretary K.N. Sahajan highlighted the challenges faced in waste management, citing the addition of eight to ten tonnes of waste here and limited land availability as major obstacles. “The current plant occupies a small area of 50 cents, and non-segregated waste remains a significant concern,” he said.

An expert panel appointed by the High Court to address human-animal conflicts in Chinnakkanal recommended immediate action to tackle the waste management issue in Munnar. Their proposal included fencing the Kallar dumping yard with stronger steel wires supported by solar power within two weeks and coordinating cleanup efforts across various locations in Munnar through collaboration with local panchayats.