'Largescale' encroachment in Neelakurinji park: BJP

The BJP in Kerala has demanded a CBI probe into the alleged encroachment of land in the proposed 'Neelakurinji' national sanctuary in the hilly district, with the connivance of politicians and officials.
Talking to reporters after visiting the sanctuary along with an NDA delegation yesterday, BJP State President Kummanom Rajasekharan alleged that largescale encroachment was taking place in the park area with the connivance of politicians and officials.
The state government should be ready for a CBI inquiry, he said adding BJP would submit a report to the Centre, based on the visit to the park area.
The ruling CPI-M-led LDF and Congress headed UDF Opposition were misleading the people on the matter by spreading falsehood, Rajasekharan said.

There was no need to evict any settlers if the survey was held in a time-bound manner, he said adding the farmers living there for years should be protected.
Rajasekharan also wanted the government to preserve the sanctuary area by felling the Eucalyptus trees.

Neelakurinji flower won't blossom in the area due to the existence of large number of eucalyptus trees, he claimed.
Neelakurinji is a purplish blue flower which blooms once in 12 years and the phenomenon 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 and nearby areas, which is part of biodiversity hot spot of Western ghats.

The previous LDF government in 2006 had issued a preliminary notification for the proposed sanctuary.
However, nothing came of it due to resistance from the locals.
The state government while asserting that the sanctuary area would not be reduced, had decided to conduct a scientific study of the sanctuary.
The sanctuary issue came into focus recently after the state government 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 that fall within the territory of the proposed sanctuary.
The move was widely seen as an attempt to redraw the boundaries of the sanctuary as it came after the cancellation (by district authorities) of the title deeds of 20 acres of land of LDF independent MP Joice George and his family at Vattavad and Kottakambur that form part of the park.

A UDF delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Ramesh Chennithala had visited the proposed sanctuary area recently and recommended that the government not reduce the size of the proposed sanctuary to preserve Neelakurinji flowering area.