Forest dept reclaims 100 acres of govt land including Kerala's highest tent camping site in Idukki

Idukki: The Forest Department has reclaimed over 100 acres of government land in Kolukkumalai, a popular tourist destination in Idukki district, from the possession of a private company. The land, held by Harrison Malayalam Limited (HML) and valued at several crores of rupees, is considered ecologically sensitive and includes the site where the state's highest private tent camping facility had been operating. The camping facility has also been taken over, and the department is considering developing eco-tourism projects in the area.

The Forest Department officially took possession of 42.72 hectares (more than 100 acres) of land, an important habitat for wildlife and an ecologically fragile region, 39 years after a Kerala High Court judgment directed the government to reclaim it.

The recovery followed months of confidential operations and detailed survey work carried out under the direct supervision of the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF). Officials described it as one of the largest land recovery operations in the history of the Kerala Forest Department. The reclaimed land comprises ecologically significant shola forests and grasslands worth several crores in market value.

The dispute dates back to land acquired from HML under the Kerala Private Forests Act, 1971. In 1975, the Forest Department took over 210.89 hectares of land from the company. Following a petition filed by HML, the Kerala High Court, in its 1987 final judgment, ordered that 168.72 hectares be returned to the company while permitting the government to retain the remaining 42.72 hectares.

Although the judgment was delivered in 1987 and the land was notified as a Reserve Forest in 2001, the company did not hand over possession, allegedly due to administrative lapses. The reclaimed land, located near Kolukkumalai, is a major habitat for wild elephants and other wildlife. A private tent camping facility, promoted as the highest-altitude camping destination in the state, had been functioning there on land leased by the company.

Following months of extensive secret surveys, the Forest Department removed the land covered under Survey Nos. 355/479, 353/482 and 361 from the company's title records and formally brought it under the department's control.

Chinnakanal Section Forest Officer Harrison Sasi said official forest department boards and boundary markers were installed on the property.