The delay in acquiring mangrove tracts owned by private parties by the State government to declare them as reserve forests is threatening the ecosystem in Kannur and other parts of the State.
The State government had signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2002 to hand over over large tracts of mangroves to the Centre in exchange of forestland (7693.2257 hectares) sought to rehabilitate landless tribespeople in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Wayanad districts. However, even after 18 years, the agreement has not been implemented.
As many as 496 hectares of mangroves still remain in private hands in Kannur. The district has 75% of mangrove tracts in the State. Only a small area under government ownership has been declared as reserve forest so far.
K. Karthikeyan, Chief Conservator of Forest, Northern Circle, said the process for acquisition of private land had not yet begun in the district.
He, however, pointed out that the State government, under the Rebuild Kerala
initiative, had recently given administrative sanction to acquire 1,200 hectares of mangrove area in the State. A total of 19 people in Kannur had accepted to hand over land. But the process was yet to begin, he said.
Many individuals and private establishments have purchased mangrove tracts for construction activities and projects like tourist resorts in the district. Some have purchased mangroves keeping in mind the compensation to be provided by the government for acquisition.
Farmers’ protest
Recently, farmers had protested against the Forest Department for stopping them from removing mangroves to do ‘Kaipad’ paddy cultivation. The department has so far filed 19 cases, including two this year, for destroying mangroves.
Such places fell under the Coastal Regulatory Act 1(A) and no construction activities or development could be carried out in the area, said a senior forest official. However, in the name of agricultural activities, they were destroying mangroves on private plots, he added.
Member of District Environmental Committee Vinod Payyada alleged that there was government-sponsored encroachment with the help of the Tourism Department in many villages. There was massive destruction of mangroves in these areas, he added.
Mr. Payyada said that the forestland acquired for rehabilitation of tribespeople should be taken back by the Centre if the State government did not acquire mangroves to declare them as reserve forests.
District Collector T.V. Subhash said he would look into the matter and action would be taken after consulting officials concerned.
