Kerala Tunnel Project Proceeds Without Critical Environmental Monitoring
In Kozhikode, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is set to perform the first blast on Friday to initiate tunnelling for the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi tunnel road. However, this milestone comes with a significant oversight: authorities have not commenced monitoring the small population of the endemic and endangered bird, Banasura Chilappan, which inhabits the sky islands above the tunnel alignment.
This development occurs seven months after the Chief Minister inaugurated the project's construction in August 2025, with other key environmental safeguards still pending. The failure to monitor the bird population directly contravenes a critical condition set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) when it granted environmental clearance in May 2025.
Environmental Clearance Violations and Expert Directives
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under MoEFCC had mandated a detailed study on Chilappan, including assessing the species' genetic vulnerability due to disturbances from the 8.7-kilometer tunnel. The ministry recommended specialized institutions like the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) to conduct this monitoring.
According to the clearance terms, the commission order for the monitoring exercise was required to be submitted to the integrated regional office of the ministry along with the project's first six-monthly compliance report. Subsequent progress reports on monitoring were also to be included in periodic compliance filings.
Sources indicate that authorities approached SACON, and the institute submitted a proposal, but monitoring activities have not yet begun. This delay raises serious concerns about the project's adherence to environmental protocols.
Additional Safeguards and Land Acquisition Challenges
Furthermore, the EAC had directed the establishment of the Appankappu Elephant Corridor, preferably by directly acquiring six plots totaling 3.05 hectares. This corridor is essential to facilitate elephant movement from the Camel Hump mountains towards the Nilambur South Division, Karimpuzha Sanctuary, and Silent Valley National Park.
The government has faced obstacles in acquiring this land, as landowners are demanding high prices. The Forest Department has submitted a report to the land acquisition tahsildar, but progress remains stalled.
Criticism from Conservationists and Local Groups
N Badusha, president of the Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti, criticized the state government for prioritizing multiple project inaugurations over implementing basic environmental safeguards mandated by MoEFCC. "They should have established a monitoring mechanism for Chilappan before beginning blasting and tunnelling activities to assess any ecological disturbance," he stated.
Banasura Chilappan is primarily found on two high-altitude peaks in Wayanad, including the mountainous terrain through which the proposed tunnel alignment passes. With a population of fewer than 1,000 birds, this species is confined to shola forests on the Camel's Hump range, including Chembra peak, and the Banasura mountains, covering a total habitat of just 50 square kilometers.
Calls for Conservation and Protected Areas
Conservationists have urged the creation of a special protected area encompassing the shola forests and adjoining grasslands in the high-altitude montane habitat to prevent the extinction of these birds. The ongoing tunnel project without proper monitoring threatens this fragile ecosystem, highlighting the tension between infrastructure development and environmental preservation in Kerala.
