Kurinji sanctuary row: No move to reduce sanctuary area: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said there would be no reduction in the area of proposed Neelakurinji sanctuary in Idukki, days after Congress and BJP opposed any move to redraw it's boundaries.
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 in a 3,200 hectare land in Munnar, which is part of biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats.
BJP had yesterday alleged that it was "illegal" and an attempt to "legalise encroachments."
Vijayan said the government does not intend to reduce the protected area of the sanctuary. The decision was to hold a study of the flooring area of Neelakurinji.

"It is to protect and preserve Neelakurinji", Vijayan said at a function at Cheruthonny in Idukki district.

Apparently referring to criticism that the government planned to reduce the area, Vijayan said people who trigger controversies have their own agenda.
"Government will address the anxiety of the local people about the sanctuary, he added.
Slamming the government over the issue, Congress led UDF Opposition today demanded that the government not destroy the sanctuary "to help encroachers'.
Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala wrote to Vijayan, questioning the government decision to refix boundaries of the proposed sanctuary.
He wanted government to evict 'big encroachers' who had allegedly occupied the land with fake title deeds in the declared sanctuary area and rehabilitate poor settlers.

He pointed out that the then LDF government in 2006 had declared the proposed sanctuary in two blocks at Vattavad and Kottakambur in Idukki district.
Chennithala alleged that the move to redraw the boundaries started after land title deeds of 20 acres owned by LDF independent MP Joice George and his family at Kottakambur.
He said the recent fire in this area was suspected to be the handiwork of the land mafia, to get the area exempted from the proposed sanctuary.
BJP in Kerala had also flayed the government's move and charged that it was an attempt to legalise encroachments. The party had also asked Centre to intervene on the matter.

in 2006, the then LDF government issued a preliminary notification for the proposed sanctuary. However nothing came of the project due to resistance from the local people
The CPI(M)-led LDF government recently decided to conduct a scientific study on the sanctuary and redraw its boundaries to alleviate the fears of locals.
A high-level meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister had entrusted Revenue Secretary P H Kurien with the task of carrying out the study on the status of populated areas, institutions and places of worship that fall within the territory of the proposed sanctuary.
He was also asked to submit recommendations on fixing the boundaries without shifting people from the area.