KOCHI: Tension prevailed at Koyinipara, in Kuttampuzha panchayat’s Mamalakandam, as residents gheraoed a team of forest officials attempting to stop vehicles taking tourists to the view point on Saturday. Subsequently, Kothamangalam MLA Antony John persuaded the officials to vacate the area.
“There are 64 families who settled in Koyinipara nearly 80 years ago. They were also issued title deeds. The forest boundary is way beyond the village and is not approached by off-roading vehicles. The Mamalakandam area gained reknown as a tourist spot a few years ago and many visitors arrive on weekends. We rely on tourism for sustenance. Now the forest department is trying to block the tourists and drive us out,” said P C Arun, a local resident.
“The village is on revenue land and forest authorities are creating unnecessary problems. With livelihoods affected, tourism is the only source of income for the locals. Any attempt to halt it will be opposed. I have talked to the minister and urged him to instruct the officials to stop troubling the residents,” the MLA said.
Munnar DFO Ramesh Bishnoi said the department decided to control off-roading in view of a recent accident in Adimali which left two dead.
“According to the department, it is a forest area and we cannot allow commercial activities like trekking and off-roading. We will not interfere if it is revenue land. A decision was taken to stop people from entering the forest and disturbing wildlife,” he said.
Meanwhile, a senior forest official has intervened to resolve the issue. A suggestion has been made to form a ‘forest protection committee’ and permit limited tourism operations.