The Kerala High Court has expressed grave concern over the relocation of the Model Tribal Residential School from Thirunelli in Wayanad to a site within the Tribal Resettlement and Development Area (TRDA) near Aralam Farm—an area that is heavily prone to wild elephant intrusions. The Court noted that the move directly places 257 tribal students and 47 teachers at risk, especially given warnings from forest and district administration officials about serious safety hazards. Despite these red flags, the relocation was carried out.
In particular, the Division Bench, comprised of Justices A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Jobin Sebastian, reviewed the objections raised by the Forest Department and the Kannur District Collector. According to forest officials, retaining walls in the TRDA are in a state of disrepair, significantly weakening their ability to prevent elephants from entering the area. The Court said it was “perplexed” by the haste with which the Tribal Department proceeded with the relocation, effectively disregarding earlier warnings recorded in a meeting held on July 26, 2025.
The Court has therefore directed the Director of SC/ST Development to file an affidavit by a specified date, explaining the basis of the decision to relocate, and clarifying why the concerns raised in earlier meetings were ignored. The bench also questioned the structural integrity of the protective measures being planned: although authorities proposed constructing a protective barrier using welded railway rails over a 10-kilometre stretch, it was pointed out that welding joints could become weak points, making the fence vulnerable to breach.
To address these technical concerns, the Court summoned the Assistant Executive Engineer from the Public Works Department, Kannur, to scrutinise the fence design. The Court demanded that the comments resulting from this review be placed on the record, and insisted that no construction should proceed unless the rail-fence proposal is reassessed.
Further, the Court engaged with the issue of whether temporary fencing, especially in volatile zones, could effectively prevent elephant incursions. A petitioner raised that elephants reportedly breach certain fence sections by pushing over trees, making such barriers ineffective. The Court responded with a humane yet practical suggestion: it asked the Divisional Forest Officer to explore whether beehives could be used to deter elephant movement, as has been done in other parts of India.
On the matter of funding, the Court noted that the Aralam Farming Corporation had sought financial assistance from the Disaster Management Fund for de-weeding and safety measures in the TRDA, but had received no response. The Court directed the District Collector to look into the use of disaster-management funds not only for physical infrastructure but also for critical ecological maintenance—such as clearing shrubs around the area—to help mitigate elephant incursions.
By confronting these issues head-on, the Kerala High Court has underscored the serious risks that tribal schoolchildren face when relocated to conflict-prone zones. The Court’s sharp response makes clear that resettlement decisions must account for wildlife risk, involve technical experts, and ensure that protective infrastructure is both sound and well-funded.
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