THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as encroachment of forest land by private players is on the rise in Idukki, the government itself has been blamed for large-scale destruction of forests at Devikulam in the name of development. The Forest Department has come out with a report citing such destruction at Edamalakudy in the locality.
A report by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Prakriti Srivastava (dated April 7, 2017), which is with Express, says a road built inside the forest from Pettimudy to Edamalakudy was in contravention to all existing Acts and Rules.
Moreover, the report also comes down on the KSEB for not adhering to rules while laying cables inside the forest. The report says the road has been constructed illegally without obtaining the requisite sanction as per Forest (Conservation) Act. Rock within the forest has been blasted/chiselled using heavy duty machines and used to build the road. A bridge was also seen to be constructed without obtaining the requisite permission under the Forest Conservation Act, says the report submitted to the government.
Though it is the bounden duty of all departments and the government to provide facilities to tribal settlements, the forest cannot be destroyed in the guise of development, it says.
The Munnar Divisional Forest Officer had given permission for constructing a road of three metres’ width amounting to diversion of 0.9042 hectares of land as per the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
However, it was found the road was constructed at a width of 4.7 metres amounting to destruction of 3.384 hectares of forest land. Unauthorised felling of around 100 trees was also reported.
The area now destroyed is home to thousands of species which are highly threatened. The report recommends restoration of the ecology of the area, if not already destroyed beyond redemption.
Regarding the lying of cables by the KSEB, the report says the Board violated Forest Acts.