No major damage to wildlife in Gudalur: DFO

Forest department surveys the damage caused to forests by landslips

One of the major landslips that had occurred in the Gudalur Forest Division due to the recent rain.

The forest department has surveyed the damage caused to forests by landslips which affected Gudalur and Pandalur during the recent spell of heavy rain which hit the Nilgiris.

Forest Range Officers in Bitherkad, Cherambadi and O-Valley, visited the four landslip sites which destroyed patches of reserve forests in the Gudalur division.

Speaking to

The Hindu , the District Forest Officer, Gudalur Division, Sumesh Soman, said that the extent of damage caused by the landslips ranged from around half an acre to two acres in each case. He said that the landslips had destroyed some patches of forest, but added that preliminary investigations of the site have not revealed any loss of life caused to wildlife due to the landslips.

The rain and flooding, which resulted in many areas, had caused concern among forest department officials and conservationists about animals being stranded and getting caught up in situations which would require the intervention of the forest department to get them to safety.

Officials also said that the forest department’s decision to deny permission for the expansion of the road from Nadugani to Nilambur had led to fewer landslips along the Tamil Nadu side of the border. While the Kerala side of the road, which had been expanded, suffered numerous landslips, there were very few of high intensity in Tamil Nadu, said an official, who added that the decision to deny permission for the expansion, which meant that plants and trees banking the road remained untouched, ensured fewer landslips.

Search on for missing man

Meanwhile, revenue department officials continued their search for Sainudeen (43) who has been missing since Thursday. Officials said that Sainudeen and a few of his friends were taking selfies near to a river, when they were swept away. A team continued their search for his remains on Monday.