Although the National Highway Authority continues to build on the National Motorway Kochi-Dhanushkodi, the Ministry of the Environment and Forest (MOEF) stated that the permit has not yet been granted for expansion work to 14.5 km of escape forest.
Sources said MOEF received many complaints after the expansion of roads in the forest. On 27 June, MOEF sent the Council for Control Council to check the Keraral pollution, stating that it has no records of granting a construction work and asked the Board of Directors to submit a report after the investigation.
The expansion of the roads is located on the section 14.5 km Neriamangalam, Vara and Adimaly, which is at the intersection of the National Motorway Kochi-Dhanushkodi.
On May 30, 2024, the divisional bench of the High Court in Kerala issued a directive that the forest department should not interfere with the expansion of the road section. The order came to the petition of five inhabitants of IDUKKI.
The environmentalist Mn Jayacandran turned to the High Court and said that the motorway office continues to expand the roads on the forest section and can have been used by trees without MOEF permission. The High Court will consider the case of July 7.
Mr. Jayacandran said that expanding roads in forest soil is carried out without permission of MOEF and would result in a loss of public money. “The MOEF letter to the State Council for control of the state pollution clearly states that construction work continues in the forest section without consent,” he said.
Idukki Land Freedom Movement Conventner Dias Pullan claimed that the forest department is behind environmental organizations that filed a case at the High Court to block the construction of roads.
“In May 2024, the High Court ordered that the forest department should not interfere with the road work. Now some groups are trying to block the development of the road in the section,” he said.
“We asked for Dean Kuriakose, MP and IDUKKI District Collector v. Vigneshwar to intervene in this matter,” Mr. Pullan said.
Published – 5 July 2025 20:20 is
