CMO pushes for Thalassery-Mysuru rail project.

In spite of the objections raised by the Department of Forest and Wildlife over serious ecological and social issues, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has pushed for the proposed Thalassery-Mysuru railway project.

Government sources told The Hindu that the State government had sought permission from the regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, Climate Change in Bengaluru to carry out a survey for the rail line project through the 49-km stretch in the forests of Kerala region.

The proposed line passes through the forest belts of Kannavam and Periya having rich repositories of biological diversity and chunks of tropical evergreen forests.

The rail distance between Thalassery and Mysuru has been worked out to be 206.51 km, of which the actual construction length will be 190.22 km. The proposed rail line also passes through 35 km of ecological sensitive zones, including 11 km Nagerhole National Park in Karnataka.

Official sources pointed out the ambiguity in the government making a strong pitch for the Rs.5,500-crore project when the State Forest Department had cited serious ecological damage to the Kannavam-Periya tract. These forests also link to the largest elephant reserve in South India from the Mudumalai-Bandipur-Nilambur tract to the Bramhagiri Hills of Karnataka.

THE HINDU