A solar fence on a cardamom plantation at Panthadikkalam in Idukki.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Keralam government maintained in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday (October 15, 2026) that the Forest department action in Chinnakkanal, Idukki district, was restricted to the dismantling of unauthorised and illegal fencing.
Forest Minister Shibu Baby John and Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar explained the government stand after the Opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) moved an adjournment motion to discuss the hardships faced by farmers and other residents of localities, including Chinnakkanal, Panthalikkalam and Shanthampara, on account of a September 23 order issued by the Idukki District Collector authorising the removal of fences, walls and other structures put up by them. Protesting against the government stand on the issue, the LDF staged a walkout after the motion was denied.
The Forest Minister said that the Collector, invoking provisions of the Disaster Management Act, issued the orders for the removal of illegal solar fencing in Chinnakanal after three deaths were reported over a 25-day period from August 27 to September 23. The decision was also based on a demand raised by the tribal residents of the region after a tribal man died in an elephant attack on September 23, the Forest Minister said. “They refused to relinquish the body for postmortem and staged a protest demanding that illegal fences be removed. The Forest officials gave an assurance in writing that the demand would be complied with,” he said. The Forest Department, tasked with the removal, had heard individual cases and decided that legal structures need not be removed.
Chinnakkanal has only a little over 3 hectares of forest land and no designated elephant corridor. Nevertheless, elephants needed pathways to move freely. For a long time now, the region has been home to 30,000 humans and 18 elephants, Mr. Baby John said. He also pointed out that two resorts that have come up in the area hinder elephant movement.
Mr. Anil Kumar said that the government was committed to removing illegal fencing erected by encroachers. The first demand for the removal of the illegal structures had, in fact, come from the president of the CPI(M)-led Chinnakkanal panchayat, the Revenue Minister said. He justified the advisory on after-6 p.m. travel in plantation areas issued by the District Collector on the grounds that it was meant to protect the lives of the people.
Cancellation of orders sought
Meanwhile, K.U. Jenish Kumar of the CPI(M), who moved the adjournment motion, demanded urgent cancellation of the orders issued by the District Collector, alleging that these violated human rights and constitutional principles.
Accusing the Forest Minister of misleading the Assembly, Mr. Jenish Kumar alleged that “a conspiracy was in progress” to redesignate Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) land as forest land. The Forest Minister was throwing a challenge to the people of the high ranges and questioning the rights that they have enjoyed for three or four generations, he said.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan announced the walkout, accusing the government of ignoring the concerns of the farmers.
Published – October 15, 2026 12:34 pm IST
