THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Forest areas of Kallar and those adjoining the Silent Valley National Park will be declared as wildlife sanctuaries after public consultation, said Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in his policy address that commenced the budget session of the Kerala Assembly on Friday.
“Expanding the network of protected areas is necessary for the conservation of flora and fauna and to provide connectivity between the existing protected areas. This will bring down the issue of man-animal conflict in the state,” the governor said.
Kallar adjoins the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary on its north, Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve on its east, and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary on its south. Similarly, forest areas surrounding the Silent Valley National Park provides connectivity with Mukurthi National Park in Tamil Nadu on its north, Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary on its north-west and Silent Valley National Park on its south.
“Once the due process of public consultation is completed, these areas will be declared as wildlife sanctuaries,” the governor said. Further, a pilot project will be launched with the help of the Forest Survey of India to digitise the boundaries of the forests, so as to avoid boundary disputes with private landholders, he said.