The Divisional Forest Officer of Kozhikode has recommended that the State Government may acquire the disputed land at Thusharagiri to protect the forest around the waterfalls.
Responding to a petition submitted by Varghese Mathew, Director of Movement for Tribal Heritage and Environment Research, India (Mother India) to the President of India demanding intervention in the matter, the DFO said that following the Supreme Court order to hand over the 23.83 acres of land in the Thusharagiri forest to its original owners, will not affect the Thusharagiri ecotourism project or the road towards it in any manner.
The land in dispute is slanted and is not suitable for any sort of construction either, including resorts. However, the forest in the said land is the source of the water that enriches the three waterfalls in the region. Hence it is better to acquire the land for the conservation of the waterfalls, the report says.
Further, the DFO recommends to the State Government to make a decision on whether to acquire the land paying the required compensation or not.
The report has been submitted to the custodian of EFL for further action.
