The Pappinisseri Eco-Tourism Society closed down its mangrove theme park on the northern bank of the Valapattanam river on Monday after it was served a copy of the order of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests by the State Coastal Zone Management Authority.
Kannur tahsildar P. Pavithran handed over the order to society secretary P.V. Rakesh Gopal at 4.30 p.m. The park authorities then closed the gate of the park. The order was served on the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-controlled society by the district administration following Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's statement in the Assembly on Monday that the authority had already asked the District Collector to take steps to stop the functioning of the park.
The controversial theme park had drawn criticism from environmental activists and United Democratic Front that it was established in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone rules. It was opened on April 4 last. The park, set up on a 12 acre mangrove plot, has been a thorny issue since then. Both the CPI(M) and the UDF had been on a collision course over the park after Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said the park was a clear breach of the rules and that directions had been issued to stop its functioning.
