Settlement exclusion left to state, residents raise freehold concerns

Move on PTR and Thattekkad extent leaves thousands of residents in uncertainty

- ABHILASH CHANDRAN @Kottayam

THE UNCERTAINTIES surrounding the proposed boundary alteration of the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) and the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, aimed at excluding human settlements, appear to have become increasingly complex following concerns over freehold land.

In April, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) delegated responsibility for the matter to the state government. However, a definitive decision remains elusive, leaving thousands of people in Angel Valley and Pampavalley wards of Erumely panchayat in Kottayam district, as well as Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary in Ernakulam district, in a precarious situation.

Following the state wildlife board's recommendation to redraw the boundaries of PTR and Thattekkad, the NBWL standing committee had constituted an inspection team led by its member R Sukumar to study the proposal.