Parambikulam road plan shelved

It was feared that the project would affect several corridors of elephants and tigers

A view of the Karian Shola Rain Forest, in Parambikulam Tiger Reserve near Coimbatore. Photo: K. Ananthan

The United Democratic Front, it seems, has shelved its plan to lay a 40-km road through forests to reach the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve without entering Tamil Nadu.

Forest officials said the proposal made by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy three years ago was shelved following opposition from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests on apprehension that the road would affect several corridors of elephants and tigers.As per a government estimate, Parambikulam has two dozen tigers. It is a repository of 1,432 plant species, including 653 herbs, 268 shrubs, 359 trees, and 152 climbers.

Among these are 109 rare and endangered species. Parambikulam also has a sizeable population of elephants, gaur, and leopards.