The Wayanad District Administration on Thursday banned public entry into the ‘No Go Zones’ of the landslide-prone Mundakkai–Chooralmala region until further notice, following public protests and concerns over the safety of labourers and delayed rescue efforts.

The area has been receiving continuous heavy rain, with rumours of fresh landslides in the hills above Mundakkai. Although an expert panel had already designated fragile spots beyond Chooralmala as ‘No Go Zones’, plantation work and limited tourism activities, including trekking and homestays, continued in the region. All such activities have now been halted.

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A multi-tiered screening has been implemented at two checkpoints, a police post before Chooralmala town and another at the Bailey Bridge. Vehicles crossing the bridge must carry a police-issued pass. These include those transporting plantation workers, fertilisers, and staff of plantation groups.

Attamala ward member N K Sukumaran told Onmanorama that the region is home to extensive cardamom, coffee, and tea plantations. While most residents were evacuated after the 2024 landslide and now live in rented houses outside the danger zone, they return daily for work.

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“With this order, tea harvesting and monsoon crop maintenance will suffer badly,” Sukumaran said. However, in essential situations, the District Labour Officer and Plantation Officer may allow workers into the zone, ensuring their safety.

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