KOTTAYAM: The forest department in Munnar has launched an SMS alert system to warn the public on the presence of wild elephants. Of late, there has been an increase in the attacks by wild animals coming out to human inhabited areas in search of food, water and adverse climatic conditions. The wild elephants have posed a serious threat to the public at various places in Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks in Idukki district. The SMS alert was launched by the department on June 5 after a tie-up with the BSNL.
Bulk of the SMS will be sent through a computer to the mobile numbers of the persons saved in the system. The alerts will be initially made functional at Aruvikkad and Kundala Santoz and will be expanded to other places in the coming days, Mr R. Suresh Kumar, Devikulam forest range officer, told DC. The SMS will be sent on the basis of the information provided by the forest guard or the public. According to the forest department data, 31 persons have died in the attacks by wild elephants from March 2011 to 2017. A few weeks ago, George, a native of Devikulam, died after being attacked by a wild elephant near the Lowcart chapel near Devikulam.
