Threat of elephants: SSLC exams at Gudarala school near Munnar held under supervision of RRT

SSL exam at Gudarala Government High School supervised by Forest department due to wild elephants in the area.

Normally, the SSLC exam question paper distribution and exams are held in every school with the supervision of the Education department and police officials. However, at the Gudarala Government High School under Kannan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP), situated around 10 kilometres from Munnar hill station in Idukki in Kerala, the exam question paper distribution and exam were held under the supervision of the rapid response team (RRT) under the Forest department.

According to Forest department officials, for the past two weeks, eight wild elephants, including a tusker locally called Padayappa, have been camping in the nearby forest of the Gudarala school.

“The Forest department RRT team convoyed with the police and Education department officials from 6.30 am onwards. The RRT team had been monitoring the school premises round the clock to prevent the entry of elephants on the school premises. On Thursday, a wild tusker, Padayappa, entered the school premises around 2.15 pm, and the RRT team chased the tusker away,” said a Forest department official.

“The easy availability of food and water is the main reason for attracting wild elephants to the camp in the Gudarala area. The RRT members have been camping on the school premises for the past two weeks. The Forest department will monitor the presence of wild elephants on the school premises till the last day of the SSLC exams,” said the official.

According to officials, 18 students were appearing in the SSLC exam at the school. Officials said that the RRT provides a convoy for the question paper distribution at Vattavada and Chenduvara schools in Munnar.