The Kerala High Court has directed the State Government and forest authorities to undertake immediate restoration of mangrove forests destroyed in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms in Kunhimangalam village, Kannur district.The Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a 67-year-old agriculturist, highlighting large-scale illegal reclamation and road construction in protected CRZ-I areas.
The Court found that private respondents had dumped red earth and building waste to construct roads, resulting in the destruction of over 11 cents of dense mangroves and the degradation of ecologically sensitive zones classified under CRZ-IA and IB, where no development activity is permitted without clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Bench criticized the failure of local and state authorities to act promptly, observing that officials “turned a blind eye” despite multiple complaints and clear violations of environmental law.
Directing strict enforcement and restoration within three months, the Court ordered the Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), Northern Region, Kozhikode, to oversee removal of debris, replanting of mangroves, and revival of the affected area. The Court further instructed all government agencies, including the District Collector and the State Wetland and Coastal Zone Management Authorities, to coordinate restoration efforts and report compliance.
Expressing concern over recurring destruction of mangroves due to lax monitoring, the Bench emphasized that such ecosystems are vital for biodiversity, flood protection, and ecological balance. It directed the State to formulate a long-term monitoring and prevention mechanism, including a local vigilance team and citizen reporting system for violations. The Court also mandated regular site inspections and submission of periodic field reports by a three-member committee comprising officials from the Revenue, Forest, and Environment departments.
Calling the episode a “classic case of administrative indifference,” the Court underscored that once an ecosystem like a mangrove forest is destroyed, its restoration is complex and time-consuming, urging authorities to ensure that “such violations do not recur.”
Appearances:
Petitioner: BY ADVS. SRI.MAHESH V. RAMAKRISHNAN; SHRI.PRAVEEN K.S.
Respondents: BY ADVS. SHRI.PRAKASH M.P.; SHRI.M.SASINDRAN; SRI.MATHEW KURIAKOSE; SRI.G.GIREESH; SHRI.MONI GEORGE; SRI.J.KRISHNAKUMAR (ADOOR)
