Tamil Nadu | Human-animal conflict: Youth on foot to seek govt action on issue

COIMBATORE: Determined to draw the government’s attention to recurring human-animal conflict in the Nilgiris, two youngsters from Gudalur have embarked on a nearly 600-km walk to Chennai.

B Siva Prakash (26), and Shiyon Cherian (28), began their arduous journey from Gudalur on August 31 and reached Villupuram on Sunday.

“We decided to fight for the cause after losing two precious lives to tiger attacks over a short span in our neighbourhood,” they said.

The two cover around 35 to 40 km a day, depending on weather conditions. They begin walking as early as 6 am and continue until about 11 am, resuming their journey at 4 pm and walking until around 9 pm.

Their journey has also drawn support from people along the route. As the duo post daily updates on social media about the distance covered and their route, members of the public have come forward to provide food and other essentials. Some have also offered them accommodation for the night.

“We generally decline such offers and rest either on the premises of petrol bunks or sometimes at temples,” said Siva Prakash.

The ongoing walk is not Siva Prakash’s first campaign for an environmental cause. He had earlier undertaken a cycling expedition to Ladakh to raise awareness about the need to eradicate plastic waste in the hills and conserve water. For Cherian, however, the march marks his first effort to campaign for a social cause.

The duo have planned to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in Chennai, once they reach in another three days and submit a petition seeking his intervention in resolving the problems faced by residents of Gudalur. Apart from human-animal conflict, they intend to highlight issues concerning Section 17 land and patta rights, which they say have left many residents without clear ownership of their land.

“There are also many families without electricity supply in our neighbourhood,” Cherian said, adding that the petition would seek government action on these long-pending concerns.

The youngsters hope their long walk from the hills to the state capital will prompt concrete measures to improve their safety and living conditions.