Keralam Forest department agrees to diversion of forestland for Sathram airstrip
The Kerala Forest Department has agreed to divert forestland for the reconstruction of an NCC airstrip at Sathram, provided statutory clearances are met. The project requires environmental impact assessments due to its proximity to the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Why it matters
The case illustrates the tension between national security/developmental infrastructure and environmental conservation in sensitive forest zones.
The Forest department has agreed in principle to the diversion of forest land to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to facilitate reconstruction work on the airstrip at Sathram, near Vandiperiyar, in Idukki.
Officials confirmed that a recent meeting involving Idukki District Collector Dineshan Cheruvatt, Peerumade MLA Cyriac Thomas, and Kottayam divisional forest officer (DFO) Praful Agarwal resolved to address the pending hurdles and expedite the reconstruction project. The Collector, MLA and DFO-led team visited the area on Thursday (September 10, 2026).
Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) D.K. Vinod Kumar stated that the department assured the Collector of its support for diverting the proposed reserve forestland at Sathram.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in