KB Ganesh Kumar | Mathrubhumi
Thiruvananthapuram: Pathanapuram MLA K.B. Ganesh Kumar expressed concern over the injuries suffered by the wild tusker Arikomban.
He stated that "the authorities should take prompt action to address the injury on Arikomban's trunk. It should be considered that certain elephants are unwilling to abandon their natural habitat. Arikomban, in particular, harbors a fear of tigers and may potentially retreat to human settlements if relocated to a reserve that is prone to tiger presence. Unless the present circumstances are rectified, the elephant's survival is at stake."
Meanwhile, Ganesh Kumar vehemently criticized the tactics employed by officials in the relocation of Arikomban from Cumbum to Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. He leveled serious allegations, asserting that the elephant was subjected to hazardous levels of tranquilizers and deprived of water for hours. He further warned that if the officials continued to wait for the court's order, it would inevitably result in the untimely death of the elephant.
He also criticised those who filed a petition in the court demanding to translocate the elephant.