The India High Range Mountain Landscape (IHRML) Project taken up by the State government in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) being implemented in 11 panchayats in Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur with a revised implementation strategy will come to an end by September 14.
The project, which was pending since 2014 due to stiff resistance from elected representatives and later taken up in 2018 titled “Sustainable Livelihood and Biodiversity Conservation Through Multiuse Management of Anchunad and Adjoining Landscape,” envisaged conserving the biodiversity of the high range mountain ecosystem from existing and emergent threats by building an effective collaborative governance framework for multiple-use management.
Speaking to The Hindu, Arun Ramachandran G, State project coordinator, said the project had completed its enlisted targets and it would submit a set of recommendations to the State government following an in-depth discussion at a workshop. It would be the responsibility of the State government to carry forward the momentum gained through the project or emulate the model in other regions, Mr Ramachandran said.
The agency had spent a sum of ₹32 crore as part of the project which brought in a landscape and cross-sectoral approach to sustainable development and biodiversity conservation in planning, capacity building, piloting models, and conducting one-time activities. Haritha Keralam Mission is the special purpose vehicle for the implementation of the project in the State and the State Forest and Wildlife department was entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out activities in the forested areas.
