Even as the massive flowering of neelakurinji (strobilanthes kunthiana) is slated next year, vast areas of grassland where the plants grow were found destroyed at Jandapara in Kottakambur village in the Western Ghats in Munnar.
Jandapara is two hours journey on foot from Kottakambur, nearly 40 km from Munnar.
Local people said they had noticed smoke emanating from the area nearly a month ago. The area comes under the Kurinji National Park for which the final notification is awaited.
About 300 acres of grasslands with neelakurinji were destroyed in the fire. It is alleged that land mafia that has encroached upon the government land and cultivated grandis there set fire to the grasslands with the aim of keeping the area out of the park when the final notification is issued.
Slowly replaces kurinji
With grandis cultivation, the neelakurinji plants slowly disappear. The plants grow in areas where there is direct sunlight on grasslands.
When contacted, a forest official said a case had been registered.
Neelakurinji has blossomed on a small scale in some areas though the massive flowering will be from June to September next year. Compared to the previous flowering season, the area under neelakurinji has come down as grandis cultivation rapidly increased in Kottakambur village.
The National Green Tribunal had criticised the State government for its lackadaisical attitude in protecting the neelakurinji, which is a symbol of the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats.
Away from settlements
Since Jandapara and adjoining areas are away from human settlements and Forest Department officials rarely visit the areas, large-scale grandis cultivation is taken up in the area by encroaching upon the areas. The main attraction for grandis cultivation is that once cultivated, no additional caring is needed for it. When the timber is cut down, it naturally grows again from the remaining stump. Grandis cultivation causes depletion of groundwater level. The spread of grandis cultivation has brought down the area under vegetable cultivation in Vattavada and Kanthallur. Now there is a blanket ban on cutting trees, including grandis in Devikulam taluk.