MUNNAR: Environmental activists have won a
two-decade-old campaign with the declaration of Kurinjimala Sanctuary in
Idukki district.
The Gazette notification issued by
the Government covers 3200 hectares of Kurinji habitat as originally
proposed. Forest Minister Benoy Viswom has seen to it that the original
proposal was adhered to despite pressures.
The area falls in the Survey No. 58/1 of Kottakkamboor village and Survey No. 62 of the Vattavada village in the district.
The
notification said that the sanctuary was being constituted for ensuring
the long-term protection for the entire biodiversity of the area,
especially the `Neelakurinji' (Strobilanthes kunthiana) and its habitat.
The Government considered it necessary to declare the area as a
sanctuary for protecting its ecological, faunal, floral and
geomorphological, natural or zoological wealth and also for providing
connectivity between the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Anamudi and
Pampadum Shola National Parks.
The area, it said,
supports animals like elephants, gaur, deer and Nilgiri Tahr. It is also
one of the last abodes of the famed Neelakurinji, which blooms once in
12 years.
The area, it added, had been subjected to
various types of environmental degradation such as fire, encroachments
and grazing, thereby threatening the survival of the flora and fauna of
the area.
Activists, who were party for the campaign
to save Kurinji, discussed the challenges before the State in protecting
the kurinji habitat (shoal forests) at a seminar organised in
connection with the neelakurinji festival here on Sunday.
G.
Rajkumar of the Save Kurinji Campaign Council said that the
conservation of the habitat could not be achieved without mass support.
Protection of the pockets of its habitat alone would not ensure their
conservation.
K. Kunhikrishnan, University College,
Thiruvananthapuram, said that even the branch of a shola tree was an
ecosystem. The importance of sholas was not yet being fully grasped by
the people.
S. Sankar, scientist at the Kerala Forest
Research Institute, suggested that additional areas for conservation
should be prioritised immediately. More data needed to be collected for
that.
He also suggested that abandoned plantations should be developed as a carbon sink.
C. J. John of Palani Hills Conservation Council said that a lot of lost grasslands could eventually be reclaimed and rebuilt.
However, clearing the areas of plantations, especially wattle, would need time and patience.
R.
Ajayan, Assistant Private Secretary to the Forest Minister, called upon
environmental activists to participate in the formulation of the
forthcoming forest policy by giving their comments.
M. K. Prasad inaugurated the seminar.
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