Neelakurinji blooms on Kodaikanal hills

Marayoor: Kurinji flowers have started blooming at Vattavada village in Idukki and also in Tamil Nadu's Kodaikanal hills.

Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) were seen in bloom mostly near the slope below Coaker's walk in Kodaikanal. It had last blossomed in 2006 - a phenomenon that occurs once in 12 years.

Arrangements have been made for tourists to experience the visual treat. Dindigul collector TG Vinay and his team arrived in Kodaikanal forest area to inspect the site and make further arrangements.

Keralites are also waiting for the kurinji flowers to bloom in Munnar to behold the spectacle that lasts up until October.

The 'neelakurinji' belongs to the genus Strobilanthes which is a tropical plant species found in Asia and Australia. There are about 450 species of Strobilanthes in the world, of which 146 are found in India and of them, about 43, in Kerala.

The mass flowering 'neelakurinji' provides a feast for butterflies, honeybees and other insects. The purple flowers hold a large amount of nectar, which especially attract the eastern honeybee (Apis cerana).

Encroachment on the 'neelakurinji' habitats

The Kurinjimala Sanctuary was declared in 2006, during the previous mass flowering to protecting the 'neelakurinji' and its habitat. "This sanctuary gives the rarest, most spectacular view of neelakurinji," said G Baburaj, an environmentalist. "But it is eyed by many," he added, elaborating that the area is being encroached on by resorts, hotels, plantations and small farms.

To put an end to the encroachments, the Kerala government passed an ordinance in 2006, for protecting the Kurinjimala Sanctuary. Since a number of settlements came under the area in the sanctuary, which was raising a stir among locals, the government, in the ordinance, authorised a sub-collector to adjudicate land claims after hearing complaints.

The proposed land that came under this ordinance included 2,041 houses, more than 53 government offices, 12 schools, 62 temples, churches and even banks. There were allegations against local politicians for forging title deeds of land ownership in the areas declared as protected.

However, for Kurinjimala to be declared as a wildlife sanctuary permanently under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, there is need for the settlement officer (in this case the Devikulam sub-collector) to go through the settlement of rights process for those who have inhabited or have rights over the land. This has now happened.

In November 2017, the Kerala Government decided to redraw the boundaries of the Kurinjimala Sanctuary - a move which had invited criticism alleging that it was to support the encroachers.

Following the controversy, Pinarayi Vijayan had promised that the reserve's area will not be reduced at any cost. He told media representatives that a committee will be formed to study the issues at the reserve and it will look in to the settlement concerns.

There is also a case pending in the Kerala High Court, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry into the involvement of the local member of Parliament in fabricating documents for the land. Similarly, there are hundreds of such encroachments in the reserve, claims environmentalist G Baburaj.

Protection for 'neelakurinji' habitat finally declared

Now, in the latest decision as of April 2018, the Kerala cabinet has decided to ensure that the proposed Neelakurinji Sanctuary will have a minimum of 3,200 hectares. Though the cabinet had decided not to evict people with title deeds, it plans to redraw the boundaries in cooperation with the revenue department.

The cabinet decision includes appointing a settlement officer, conducting drone-based survey to identify the forest land and amending The Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth In Non-Forest Areas Act 2005 to prevent growing acacia and eucalyptus in the reserve forest area, all meant to benefit the Kurinjimala Sanctuary.

(With inputs from IANS)