Devaswom begins wall construction at Madayipara to keep vehicles out
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Walls being constructed by the Madayi Thiruvarkattukavu Devaswom to prevent vehicles from entering and damaging Madayipara, an ecologically fragile and biodiversity-rich plateau in Kannur. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Madayi Thiruvarkattukavu Devaswom has begun constructing a stone boundary wall along the road from Eripuram towards the Naval Academy to prevent vehicles from entering the ecologically preserved Madayipara, even as environmental groups have intensified their protest against unregulated tourism and the functioning of an amusement-cum-eco park in the area.
The wall is being built on both sides of the road using laterite stones and is currently being constructed on the stretch leading to the Vadukunda Siva Temple. The Devaswom authorities said the immediate objective was to prevent vehicles from entering the plateau, where increasing vehicular movement has been blamed for damaging rare plants and the biodiversity of the laterite landscape.
According to the Devaswom, the work is being undertaken directly and is intended to cover as much of the vulnerable access point as possible. The authorities said there was no specific budgetary provision for the work yet, as it was being taken up as an immediate measure to restrict vehicle entry.
The move comes amid growing concern among the Madayipara Samrakshana Samithi and environmental groups over the increasing number of vehicles and visitors entering the plateau. On holidays and evenings, hundreds of vehicles have reportedly been seen in the area. Though awareness campaigns have encouraged some visitors to leave their vehicles outside, environmentalists say people continue to enter the grasslands on foot.
The Devaswom is also considering stronger measures against unauthorised entry, including installing more visible warning boards and taking action against trespassers. The existing boards, according to the authorities, are placed at scattered locations and are not often clearly visible to visitors.
The latest intervention comes against the backdrop of a wider controversy over the unregulated tourist inflow and an amusement-cum-eco park operating at Madayipara. Environmentalists have alleged that the growing tourist pressure, artificial lighting, and large quantities of waste generated by visitors are damaging the fragile ecosystem and disturbing birds and other wildlife.
Meanwhile, the Samithi alleged that the eco park opened on July 31 was functioning without mandatory permission, including a trade licence from the Madayi grama panchayat. Following the protest and media reports, the panchayat was forced to issue a stop memo to the park.
The 3.65 square-kilometre laterite plateau is known for its exceptional biodiversity, endemic species, and specialised habitats. It has recorded 670 species of flowering plants, including 11 insectivorous plant species and 14 species classified under various threatened categories by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Madayipara also supports 258 bird species, including 10 globally threatened species and 31 species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. It is an important stopover for migratory shorebirds and is home to 24 mammal species, 32 reptiles, 20 amphibians, 158 butterfly species and 51 species of dragonflies and damselflies.
K.V. Chandramgadan, who is associated with the campaign to protect Madayipara, said the entry of vehicles onto the grasslands and the dumping of food waste and plastic bottles were causing considerable damage to the landscape and its biodiversity.
He said irresponsible visitor behaviour was not only affecting the natural appearance of Madayipara but also threatening the delicate balance of its flora and fauna.
Environmentalists have also pointed to an earlier Kerala High Court directive to the District Police Chief and the Station House Officer of Pazhayangadi to ensure protection of the laterite hills by preventing people from entering the vast landscape.
The restriction was enforced for several years, but patrol has subsequently stopped, resulting in increased human interference and a negative impact on flora and fauna, they alleged.
The Devaswomβs latest decision to construct a permanent stone barrier is also aimed at addressing the difficulty of controlling access through the numerous pathways leading into the plateaus.
Officials said earlier attempts to use temporary barriers, including thorn fencing, had not proved effective, as people repeatedly removed or damaged them to gain access.
The Devaswom authorities said fencing with naturally available vegetation could prove an additional protective barrier, but it would also require continuous monitoring. A permanent wall, wherever feasible, was therefore considered a more practical long-term solution to keep vehicles out of the most vulnerable portions of Madayipara.
The move has also triggered disagreement among residents, with the Devaswom facing criticism over attempts to close traditional access routes. Officials, however, maintained that the primary objective was to protect the landscape from increasing vehicular intrusion rather than to prevent legitimate public access.
Conservation campaigners argued that the issue goes beyond vehicle movement and requires regulations on the growing tourist activities, particularly the activities associated with the eco park, to prevent further deterioration of one of Keralamβs most ecologically significant laterite landscapes.
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