Kurinji sanctuary row: Centre to call high level meeting

The BJP today approached the Centre over the LDF government's decision to redraw the boundaries of the Neelakurinji sanctuary in Idukki district and alleged that it was "illegal" and an attempt to "legalise encroachments."
Neelakurinji is a purplish blue flower which blooms only once in 12 years and the blossoming attracts a large number of tourists and nature enthusiasts from Kerala and outside.
The 'Neelakurinji sanctuary' is proposed over 3,200 hectare land in Munnar of Idukki which is part of the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats.
A preliminary notification for the same was issued in 2006 by the LDF government but it is yet to become a reality due to resistance from locals.

State BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan today met Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi and apprised him of the issue, a party release said here today.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests would soon convene a high-level meeting to discuss the matter, Rajasekharan said in the release.

"The Centre will intervene in the state government's move to redraw the boundaries of the sanctuary. Senior officials of the Environment and Forest Department will take part in the meeting," he said.
Claiming that any move to redraw the boundaries of the sanctuary was "illegal" and an attempt to "legalise encroachments," Rajasekharan alleged that there was also an ulterior motive to assign lands to the favourites of Chief Minister Pinarayi Viajayan.

As per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the state government cannot redraw the boundaries of a national wildlife sanctuary as the permission of the National Biodiversity Board is necessary for it, he claimed.
The state BJP president also sought a CBI probe into the land deals related to the Neelakurinji sanctuary.
The CPI(M)-led LDF government had recently decided to conduct a scientific study on the proposed sanctuary and redraw its boundaries to alleviate fears of locals.
A high-level meeting, chaired by Vijayan, had entrusted Revenue Secretary P H Kurien with the task of carrying out a study on the status of populated areas, institutions and places of worship falling within the territory of the proposed sanctuary.

He was also asked to submit recommendations on fixing the boundaries without shifting the people from the area.
Besides the BJP, the Congress had also come out against the government's plan to re-fix the boundaries.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the move was part of the LDF government's plans to protect the encroachment by CPI(M) leaders in the hilly district.
The redrawing of boundaries would destroy the biodiversity of neelakurinji, the leader added.
The ruling LDF front partners, the CPI(M) and the CPIhad difference of opinion over the shifting of local people from the proposed sanctuary area.
CPI leader and Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan had yesterday rejected Kurien's statement that the present plan to redraw the boundary would reduce the sanctuary area from the proposed 3,200 hectares.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader from Idukki and Power Minister M M Mani said the government was committed to protect Neelakurinji but it would also consider the concerns of people in the area who have land title deeds.
The government's move is being seen in the political circles as a fallout of the cancellation of title deeds of 20 acres of land possessed by LDF-backed Independent MP Joice George and his relatives at Kottakambur in Idukki that also forms part of the sanctuary.
CPI(M) MLA from Devikulam in Idukki district, S Rajendran had also come out against Sub Collector V R Premkumar for cancelling the land title deeds of MP and family.