Greens Demand Probe into Alleged Illegal Survey in Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary

Swift Summary

• The Wayanad Prakruti Samraksana Samithi has flagged alleged encroachment and unauthorized survey activities inside the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kozhikode district.
• Samithi president N. Badusha petitioned senior Forest officials and the Ministry of Habitat, Forest and Climate change (MoEF&CC) to investigate a Public Works Department (PWD) survey for an alternate road from Padinjarethara to Poozhithodu.
• The Chief Wildlife Warden had permitted only drone-based surveys within the sanctuary but prohibited ground-level GPS surveys or physical entry into protected areas.
• On September 11, 2025, PWD officials allegedly violated this directive by entering the sanctuary illegally with some individuals, breaching Sections 27 and 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The road proposal was previously rejected after meticulous statutory review. reviving it without approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) or MoEF&CC is deemed arbitrary and unlawful by Mr. Badusha.
• Concerns include irreversible forest fragmentation between Wayanad and Kozhikode, potential human-wildlife conflicts, ecological damage to Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary habitats, and redundancy given funds allocated for an alternative tunnel-road project.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The allegations surrounding unauthorized activity in a biologically sensitive area like the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary raise critical concerns about governance processes related to infrastructure in ecologically fragile regions. While infrastructure improvements are essential for regional advancement, adherence to legal frameworks such as the Wildlife Protection Act is non-negotiable in balancing development with conservation efforts.

If proven true, bypassing statutory reviews or exceeding permissions undermines democratic accountability within environmentally important projects. Additionally, fragmentation of connected forest ecosystems could trigger lasting impacts on biodiversity while exacerbating human-wildlife conflicts-a growing concern across India’s forested zones.

Given prior investments in an alternative tunnel-road project between Wayanad and Kozhikode, revisiting this parallel plan poses questions regarding resource allocation efficiency when public funds are involved. Whether this incident prompts stricter oversight measures remains one of its key implications going forward.

Read More: Published September 11, 2025