The Kerala Forest Department informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that landslides in Wayanad washed away illegal encroachments spanning over 0.55 hectares. The Southern Bench of the NGT took suo motu cognisance of the disaster and impleaded the Forest Department as the ninth respondent in the case.
The tribunal has directed authorities to submit an independent action-taken report on the issue of encroachments and afforestation measures. The NGT’s intervention comes amid growing concerns over deforestation, unregulated land use, and environmental degradation in ecologically sensitive regions like Wayanad.
Officials from the Forest Department emphasized that natural calamities such as landslides highlight the risks associated with unauthorized land occupation in fragile ecosystems. The NGT has sought comprehensive reports from the concerned departments on measures taken to prevent further encroachments and ensure ecological restoration in the affected areas.
