The Kerala Forest Department in its 2021-22 report released recently stated that about 5024.535 hectares of forest land have been encroached. The large area has been mostly occupied in Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki districts.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Forest Department report stated that about 5024.535 hectares of forest land in the state is in the hands of encroachers. According to the annual management report for 2021-22 released by the forest department, encroachments are more in the high-range circle comprising Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki districts.
The circle-wise encroachment calculation is as follows:
1. High Range Circle- Kottayam Idukki, Ernakulam–1998.0296 ha. Out of this, Munnar Division, which is a paradise for encroachers, has the highest encroachment at 1099.6538 ha.
2. Eastern Circle- Malappuram, Palakkad–1599.6067 ha.
3. Southern Circle-Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta Districts– 14.60222 ha.
4. Central Circle- Thrissur, Ernakulam–319.6097 ha.
5. Northern Circle- Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod–1085.6648 ha.
Apart from Munnar, more encroachments were reported in Kothamangalam, Kottayam, Mankulam, Nilambur North, Mannarkkad, Nenmara and Wayanad North divisions. Marayur, Thenmala, Nilambur South, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary divisions have very few encroachments.
The encroachment continues because the encroachers of the forest land are not evicted and the junta is not removed. At the same time, the forest department explained that local objections and court cases are obstacles to making field mark stones or boundary stones. At present the forest area in Kerala is 11521.814 square kilometers.
The CAG audit report in 2017 mentioned that out of 11,917 hectares of encroached forest land after January 1, 1977, only 4628 hectares have been cleared and the forest department has failed to clear encroachments. The forest department took a very long time to compile and release the management report for 2021. The Annual Governance Report for 2022–23 is yet to be published. By the end of March this year, the forest department has to prepare the management report for the year 2023-24.
