News Tamil Nadu

Wild Elephant Enters Coimbatore’s Karunya University Campus Again, Netizens Slam University’s Location In Elephant Corridor, Question Dravidian Model Govt’s Double Standards

February 1, 2025
The Commune

Once again, a wild elephant has entered the campus of Coimbatore’s Karunya University in search of food. Panicked students alerted the administration, who in turn contacted the forest department. The department responded swiftly and made efforts to drive the elephant away from the campus. A video showing the forest department personnel working to drive the elephant from the campus has since gone viral, sparking criticism from netizens who point out that Karunya University is located within an elephant corridor.

In December 2024, a lone tusker broke into the premises of Karunya University, damaging a wall and consuming all the rice cultivated on the campus for the agriculture students’ camp. The incident caused panic among the administration and the video quickly went viral.

Despite frequent incidents of human-wildlife conflict on its campus, Karunya University, a Christian minority institution and deemed university, has not faced the same level of legal scrutiny as the Isha organization, located just 13 kilometers away.

Environmentalists have expressed concerns over the university’s environmental violations, particularly its location within the Kalkothi-Valayar elephant corridor. The university has faced criticism for downplaying the adverse impact of its presence on local wildlife, including elephants. Its sprawling campus, which spans over 1,200 acres, is situated within the same corridor that also includes wetlands and vital water sources feeding the River Noyyal, exacerbating the environmental issues in the region.

Previously, the university’s construction in Mathuvarayapuram, near the Western Ghats foothills, has raised alarms due to its encroachment on sensitive ecological areas. Built without the required permissions, it violates the Town and Country Planning Act 1971. Environmentalists have emphasized how the university’s placement disrupts the natural migration routes of elephants and damages the ecosystem, especially wetlands and water sources that are vital for the region’s wildlife.

The proliferation of educational, religious, and social institutions in this ecologically sensitive area, despite vocal opposition from environmentalists and local communities, is seen as being driven by political and religious support. This has made it harder to address the growing environmental degradation.

Founded in 1986, Karunya University expanded rapidly after gaining deemed university status in 2005. However, it has repeatedly ignored notices from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) concerning unauthorized construction. The university’s failure to secure necessary approvals for its buildings has led to violations of both the DTCP and Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) regulations.

As the university’s development encroaches on elephant migratory routes, it has contributed to an increase in both human and wildlife casualties, deepening the ongoing man-animal conflict. The construction activities continue to threaten local forests and wetlands, and while smaller institutions face penalties, Karunya University has largely avoided accountability due to its political influence and resources.

Below are some of the criticisms by netizens where they point out the hypocrisy of the Dravidianists who frequently target Isha Yoga Centre over it being situated in elephant corridor.

A netizen questioned self-proclaimed ‘green activist’ G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal, who also serves on the DMK government’s Governing Council on Climate Change, poinitng out how he selectively targets Isha while ignoring Karunya University, despite the latter encroachment on an elephant corridor.

Another person asked where are those groups which claim that any path taken by an elephant is an elephant corridor?

“Karunya is in elephant corridor, will the Tamil Nadu government raze it down?” asked another pointing at the bias of Dravidian Model DMK government.

Another netizen said that Karunya University which has been built by destroying forests should be razed down.

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