Wayanad (Keralam), Sep 25 Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday visited the family of Rajeev, who was killed in a wild elephant attack in the Vadakkanad area of Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad, party leaders said.
Rajeev was attacked by a wild elephant in March after he went to his farmland after learning that an elephant had entered the area.
His family told Gandhi that measures to prevent wild elephants from entering the area were inadequate and sought the deployment of watchers to prevent elephants from coming onto roads.
Forest Department officials explained to Gandhi the steps being taken in response to the family’s complaints, party leaders said.
Gandhi expressed grief over Rajeev’s death and said she would bring the family’s demands to the attention of senior Forest Department officials.
Sulthan Bathery MLA I C Balakrishnan was present as well.
In the morning, Gandhi met Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas at Gurukulam in Sulthan Bathery.
She later visited Cheeyambam Unnathi, a tribal settlement in Pulpally, where she was welcomed by a group playing traditional musical instruments.
She enquired about the facilities available at the settlement, while residents shared their concerns with her.
She posed for photographs with the residents after the interaction.
In the evening, Gandhi attended an interactive session with pepper cultivators at Mullankolly and heard about the problems faced by them.
The farmers told her that a shortage of quality pepper planting material, drought caused by climate change, inadequate irrigation facilities and stagnant pepper prices for nearly a decade were causing serious difficulties, party leaders said.
Sulthan Bathery MLA I C Balakrishnan and Agriculture Department officials were present at the meeting.
The Wayanad MP arrived in the constituency on Tuesday to review development activities and address issues faced by residents.
She is also meeting people from various walks of life during her visit.
(PTI News)
