Neelakurinji: Centre urges NGT to make states submit conservation plans
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has asked the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to direct Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to submit annual plans of operation that incorporate a conservation action plan for Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), an endemic shrub found in the Western Ghats.
The request was made before the NGT's Principal Bench in New Delhi, which had taken suo motu cognisance of a report published in The Hindu titled 'Neelakurinji becomes a threatened species'.
Neelakurinji, known for its once-in-12-years blooming cycle, has been documented across 34 localities in 14 ecoregions spanning five major landscapes, including the Brahmagiri, Nilgiri, Palani-Kodaikanal, Anamalai, Munnar-Idukki and Yercaud-Shevaroys regions of the Western and Eastern Ghats, based on historical records from 1832 to 2018.
The tribunal had earlier considered a conservation plan proposed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Kerala. The institute highlighted that the shrub is under threat due to unregulated tourism and infrastructure expansion.
In its submission, the Ministry said the conservation action plan is to be primarily implemented by the concerned State governments through their annual plans of operation under the centrally-sponsored scheme 'Development of Wildlife Habitats'. This scheme supports conservation and management of protected areas, wildlife, and recovery of critically endangered species.
The Ministry urged the Principal Bench to direct the States to implement the action plans in coordination with their respective State Biodiversity Boards. It clarified that the Centre's role is that of a facilitating and funding agency, providing technical guidance and financial assistance to States and Union Territories for wildlife conservation and habitat management.
Detailing financial assistance to Kerala under the 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' programme, the Ministry said ₹5.9 crore was released in the financial year 2025-26, while ₹9.09 crore was provided in 2024-25.
The JNTBGRI report suggested a species-specific conservation action plan integrating life-cycle biology and habitat requirements. It also recommended establishment of long-term ecological monitoring plots across all major landscapes to assess population dynamics and regeneration success. Other measures include restoration of degraded montane grasslands through phased removal of invasive alien species and reintroduction of native flora, as well as regulation of tourism through carrying-capacity assessments, designated pathways, and strict enforcement during flowering seasons.
The NGT's next hearing in the matter is expected to consider the Ministry's request and the State governments' responses.
