Rare Neelakurinji Blooms, Draws Crowds, Govt. Imposes Visitor Curbs

NILGIRIS-The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has restricted public access to Neelakurinji blooming sites in parts of the Gudalur region after the rare flowering drew hundreds of visitors over the past few days.Forest Department officials said the flowering areas are ecologically sensitive, lie within or close to wildlife habitats, and are regularly used as movement corridors by wild elephants. They warned that unrestricted visits could disturb wildlife, damage the fragile ecosystem and increase the risk of human-animal conflict.Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), a shrub that flowers only once every 12 years, has bloomed in several locations, including Naadukani, Gudalur, Oosimalai and O’Valley.The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has made Neelakurinji a protected species.

Gudalur is one of Tamil Nadu’s major human-elephant conflict zones, with the flowering sites located in areas frequently used by elephant herds. Despite repeated oral warnings over the past few days, many visitors continued entering the restricted areas, prompting the department to enforce stricter access controls. (IANS)