Wildlife attacks continue; UDF to observe hartal in Wayanad tomorrow

WAYANAD: A hartal will be observed in Wayanad tomorrow alleging that the government is not taking necessary steps to prevent continuous wildlife attacks. The hartal is called by the United Democratic Front (UDF)Wayanad District Committee. UDF district chairman K K Ahmed Haji and convener P T Gopala Kurup said that the hartal is being called to protest the government's stance of not taking any action despite the loss of human lives in wildlife attacks in the district on a daily basis.

The leaders said that essential services and trips for purposes such as exams, weddings and Pallikunnu Thirunal have been excluded from the hartal. Four people lost their lives in wild elephant attacks in the state in the past two days. Balakrishnan of Attamala, was tragically killed in a wild elephant attack last night. His body was found on the road inside the tea estate of Harrison Malayalam Plantation.

The hartal announced by the farmers relief forum and the Trinamool Congress to protest against the wildlife attacks is still ongoing in Wayanad. The hartal is from 6 am to 6 pm. None of the major political parties has supported the hartal. The stand of the traders and businessmen coordination committee is that it will not cooperate with the hartal.

Although joins in the grief of the family of the dead in the elephant attack, the district secretary of the private bus operators’ association, Ranjith Ram Muralidharan, had announced that it would not participate in the hartal by stopping the bus. The organization's stand was that it could not participate in the strike by stopping the bus at this time when taxes have to be paid.