KOCHI: The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed a panel to conduct a field inspection at Thekkady and Vanhcivayal located in the Periyar Tiger Reserve area and submit a report on the construction of a mega car parking facility and a football ground inside the forest without obtaining permission from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
The bench comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Das Gupta issued the order on a petition filed by environmental activist Sajimon Salim.
The tribunal appointed a joint committee comprising Idukki district collector, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) and chief wildlife warden (Kerala), an officer from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and a representative of the Kerala Pollution Control Board (PCB). The panel should inspect the area, conduct an inquiry and submit a report within two months to the tribunal. The NTCA regional office in Bengaluru will be the nodal agency for coordination and providing logistics for the purpose.
The tourism department has constructed a mega car parking facility at Anavachal near Thekkady without obtaining clearance from the Kerala PCB. The NGT in its November 2015 order had allowed the department to construct the parking facility after obtaining clearance from the PCB. According to the petitioner, the PCB had rejected the application for clearance in January 2019. However, ignoring the PCB order, the tourism department constructed the facility, said Sajimon.
Forest patch damaged
According to Sajimon, a football ground was developed near the Vanchivayal tribal settlement area under Vallakkadavu range inside the core area of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) causing extensive damage to the luxuriant evergreen forest patch in December 2019. Though no development activity should be allowed inside the tiger reserve, three earth movers were used to remove eight to 10 feet of earth for the construction. The construction was carried out from December 20 to 25 without permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden.
The tribal colony is located 5km from Vallakkadavu check post and is just 2km from Mullaperiyar dam. According to him, though the Vanchivayal tribal colony is located in the buffer zone of the tiger reserve, the football ground falls within the core area of the PTR. Earlier, Conservator of Forests (Vigilance) P V Madhusoodanan had conducted a probe into development of the football ground.
Officials refute charges
Dismissing allegations, Forest Department field director K R Anoop said the football ground was not a new one and the department only gave permission to renovate it. “The Tribal Rights Act permits 13 basic amenities in a tribal settlement area and the department can sanction one hectare for the purpose. There is no violation. After all, the tiger reserve is not a legal status,” he said.
Periyar East Deputy Director Silpa V Kumar refused to comment and said she was not aware of the order. However, her office said no fund was spent from the government exchequer for the football ground.