Tension broke out in Nelliampathy on Sunday, the eve of the visit of a six-member team of MLAs from the United Democratic Front, as some estate owners allegedly threatened to stop the legislators from entering the hills to study the problems connected with the takeover of forestland whose lease agreements have expired or have been violated.
C.K. Sankaranarayanan, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Alathur, said the police got information from the Divisional Forest Officer that attempts were being made to prevent them from visiting the Cherunelli estate.
The team comprises V.D. Satheesan, T.N. Prathapan, Hibi Eden and V.T. Balram of the Congress; M.V. Sreyamskumar of the Socialist Janata (Democratic) and M.V. Shaji of the Muslim League.
The team called on Sugathakumari, poet, at an Ayurveda centre in Mezhathur, near Thrithala. Mr. Satheesan told The Hindu over the phone from there that Ms. Sugathakumari pledged her support for the protection of Nelliampathy.
Mr. Satheesan said the MLAs had called on M.P. Veerendrakumar, president of the Socialist Janata (Democratic), who has also been undergoing treatment at the centre.
He supported the cause taken up by the MLAs.
Keywords: Nelliampathy
Further by operating both Express and Fast Passenger trains through
Dindigul- Palani –Pollachi –Kollengode-Nenmara- Thrissur line
connecting railheads of trunk-routes of Tamil Nadu and Kerala will
enhance the potential for traffic earnings and optimum utilisation of
rolling stocks. The Pollachi – Thrissur chord railway will be
advantageous for the tourism development of Nelliyampathy (Kerala),
Valparai ( T.N), Top Slip ( T.N) Hill stations and many water
reservoirs- Pothundy, Mangalam, Peechi,Vazhani, Malampuzha, Chulliar,
Meenkara, Aliar, Sholaiyar, Kadamparai, Nirayar and Parambikkulam.
Though the Kollengode Railway station is the nearest rail-head for
Nenmmara and Nelliyampathy, due to the proximity, it had not served
the purpose much by the rail connectivity through Kollengode, the
Palakkad – Kollengode – Pollachi M.G Line, part of the M.G. network
in Palakkad – Kollengode - Pollachi – Palani – Dindigul and Polachi –
Podanur sections in the region. This branch line under B.G conversion
has potential for linking with trunk routes at three junctions, viz.
Palakkad, Podanur and Dindigul. The pending project, Kollengode –
Thrissur Rail link enabling linkage between major trunk routes of
Southern Railway at Dindigul and Thrissur, will enhance the potential
for traffic earnings and optimum utilisation of rolling-stocks. The
proposed Kollengode – Thrissur line will practically enable a Chord
line between Pollachi and Thrissur.
While Kerala with the tag of “God’s Own Country” prudently gives
thrust for Ayurveda and Back-water oriented tourism to woo maximum
number of class tourists to the state, it should launch a special
campaign- ‘Tea Garden Tourism” for locations like Nelliyampathy.
Campaign for “Festival Tourism” may be feasible for attracting
tourists to exclusive colorful festivals wherein there will be
elephants’ parade, traditional drum recitals and display of fire-works
at Thrissur Pooram, Nenmmara-Vallanghy Vela etc. Tourism campaign for
Nenmmara- Vallanghy Vela festival can be clubbed with that of
Nelliyampathy, the hill-station with tea gardens, orange farms and
cardamom estates. Nenmmara is connected by road with Palakkad, the
district headquarters through two or three routes with distances
around 20 k.m. Nenmara town in the valley of the hill station is
actually lying in the middle of Pollachi- Vadakkumcherry- Nenmmara -
Thrissur Inter- State route merged with NH-47 at Vadakkumcherry.
Studies had revealed that a rich civilization existed in Nelliyampathy
during Tamil Sangam era. Certain view-points en-route to the hill
station offer a splendid sight of the Palakkad Gap, which is a
geographical phenomenon in the Western Ghats formation, showing the
extensive paddy fields of the Palakkad district and adjoining
Coimbatore-Pollachi regions forming a verdant carpet.
Seethakundu waterfall with a height of 100 meters is an added
attraction from where tourists can have a nice valley sight. Padagiri,
the highest peak situated on Nellikotta mountain ranges is the
trekkers’ paradise. Trekking is possible to reach Mampara as well for
beautiful valley sight. Even Pollachi and Valparai can be seen from
there. Nenmara town and Pothundy reservoir can be seen from yet
another view point – Kesavanpara. Private operators composedly offer
Night-Safari to see wild animals, especially elephants, despite the
threat of violent elephants that may attack even vehicles.
There are more than a dozen hair-pin bends on the ghat road
originating from Pothundy Dam and pass through the jungles of Sahyadri
ranges. Nelliyampathi’s forest regions are sanctified with wild
animals like elephants, leopards, hill squirrels, bison and a wide
spectrum of bird life. Around 215 species of birds and 90 species of
butterflies have been recorded in Nelliyampathy these hills. There
exist rare species of birds including Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush,
Great Pied Hornbill, Jerdon's Baza, Great Black Woodpecker, Oriental
Broad-billed Roller, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Broad-tailed Grassbird and
Nilgiri Pipit. Primates including Lion-tailed Macaque, Bonnet Macaque
and Nilgiri Langur are also seen there. Further a small population of
the endangered Nilgiri Tahr is also seen in the grassy peaks.
Nelliyampathy is also the perfect location for eco tourism and farm
tourism. The sprawling tea gardens, coffee, cardamom and orange
plantation add beauty to this destination at all seasons.
Forest department could prove evidence for mass cut plantation trees,
even sale of forest land and also raised huge loans as if the land
belongs to the estate owners! The hill which is rich in wildlife and
is a dwelling place to rare flora and fauna prevalent in Western
Ghats. Major tributaries to the Pothundi, Meenkara, Chulliyar,
Mangalam and Peechi Dam originate from Nelliyampathy hills. The water
storage in these reservoirs is adversely affected by extensive felling
of tress and deforestation. The forest land is unique due to its
nearness to the Parambikulam wildlife Sanctuary.
The Nelliyampathy hills with amazing varieties of flora and fauna,
around 65 km from Palakkad and 45 k.m from Nenmara is situated at a
height of 467 meters to 1572 meters at the highest peak. The Hill
station is comprised of a chain of ridges separated by valleys of
dense, evergreen virgin forests and orange plantations.
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