The Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottoor, which was in the midst of recent efforts to draw water from the Neyyar dam to the Aruvikkara dam, has been left ravaged with debris, abandoned pipes, and excavations that have destroyed the natural beauty of the premises.
While the dedicated efforts of Kerala Water Authority officials ensured that the project was completed well in advance, the need to restore the elephant camp has sadly gone unnoticed. This has begun to have an adverse effect on the facility by way of decrease in footfall and inconvenience caused to visitors and the residents — rehabilitated elephants — of the centre.
Roughly 150 pipes, including pre-cast cement and cast iron ones measuring 600 mm and 800 mm in width, are strewn around on various parts of the elephant camp. These included pipes that have been abandoned since 1982 when they had been laid for a proposed water supply project that failed to take off. In addition, excavations that have been made in the area have not been restored. The presence of debris has also been an eyesore for visitors, and many have been vocal about the poor upkeep of the camp.
There has also been a marked fall in the number of visitors to the camp. Sources claim that while there used to be around 400 visitors on a daily basis until a few months ago, this has fallen by nearly a half in recent times. While the drought situation had affected the arrivals, the presence of debris has worsened the situation. Besides, a dredger and several pipes, which are no longer utilised, have affected boating facilities. The incomes of guides and other workers, who are part of the eco-development committee (EDC), are likely to take a hit if the situation persists.
Routine affected
According to T.S. Sukesan, Deputy Warden, Agasthyavanam Biological Park (ABP) range, the problem has hindered the daily routine at the centre that included community bathing and feeding of elephants twice every day. The presence of pipes along the path that led to the bathing ghat and near the elephants’ enclosures are a hindrance.
He adds that any delay in removing the pipes and dredger at the earliest can affect the plan to lay interlocking tiles on the premises.
