Published Mar 05, 2026 | 4:19 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 05, 2026 | 4:19 PM
Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine inaugurated the Palkulamedu trekking route in Idukki with much fanfare on 28 February. (Kerala Tourism)
It must have felt like falling off a cliff.
In its enthusiasm to showcase projects and to claim credit during the election campaign, the LDF government in Kerala has gone on an inauguration spree before the State goes under the Code of Conduct. At least in one case, it fell flat on its face.
Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine inaugurated the Palkulamedu trekking route in Idukki with much fanfare on 28 February before the High Court intervened.
Billed as yet another feather in Kerala’s eco-tourism cap, the inauguration, instead, became a lesson in administrative over-enthusiasm.
The minister had said the initiative would push Idukki beyond its well-known stops like Hill View Park and wildlife sanctuaries, opening up new off-beat vistas for travellers seeking quieter, greener getaways.
For a few hours, it worked. The messaging was tight. The photographs were ready.
Then came 2 March. A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court, headed by Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syamkumar VM, stepped in with a polite but firm instruction: Stop.
The court made it clear that the Palkulamedu trekking programme cannot be operationalised without obtaining all mandatory statutory clearances — including approval under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, from the Central Government and clearance from the Eco-Tourism Clearance Committee.
In other words: open after approval, not before.
The judicial intervention followed a public interest litigation challenging the inauguration of Palkulamedu Reserve Forest — part of the Nagrampara Reserve Forest under the Kottayam Forest Division — for eco-tourism without securing the requisite permissions.
What seems to have raised eyebrows was the timeline.
The minutes of a meeting relied upon by the state are dated 20 February. The inauguration happened eight days later, on 28 February.
Clause 4 of those minutes indicated that “necessary steps” were to be completed before operationalising the trekking programme and specifically required the Chief Conservator of Forests, High Range Circle, to ensure compliance.
The court, however, noted that a decision on statutory clearances was to precede, not follow, the operational launch. Its order makes that distinction unmistakable.
The bench has now directed the Chief Conservator of Forests, High Range Circle, to file an affidavit clarifying whether all formalities have indeed been completed — including central approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act and clearance from the Eco-Tourism Clearance Committee.
The state has been asked to place all necessary documents on record within three weeks.
The matter will be taken up again on 6 April. Until then, the hilltop will remain quiet.
What was unveiled as a swift pre-election showcase has instead paused mid-stride.
In the government’s hurry to add another tourism milestone before the election schedule is announced, paperwork appears to have been treated as an afterthought.
The High Court has reminded the State that eco-tourism, however well-intentioned, must stand the legal test before inviting trekkers.
For now, Palkulamedu’s famed vistas — the rolling emerald ranges, the distant dam, the mirror-like pool at its summit — will have to wait for something less dramatic: a file stamped “approved.”
