{
  "id": 3448353,
  "title": "MoEFCC urges NGT to direct States to submit annual plan of operation for Neelakurinji conservation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/moefcc-urges-ngt-to-direct-states-to-submit-annual-plan-of-operation",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-26T06:42:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/moefcc-urges-ngt-to-direct-states-to-submit-annual-plan-of-operation-for-neelakurinji-conservation/article71391562.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has sought the National Green Tribunal to compel the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka to present an annual action plan for the conservation of Strobilanthes kunthiana, colloquially called Neelakurinji. This plant, endemic to the Western Ghats, blooms once every twelve years. The MoEFCC submitted this request to the tribunal's Principal Bench, which had previously examined a report titled \"Neelakurinji becomes a threatened species\" in The Hindu.\n\nHistorically, records from 1832 to 2018 revealed the presence of Neelakurinji in 34 locations across 14 ecoregions in five major landscapes spread out in both the Western and Eastern Ghats. The principal bench considered a conservation proposal by the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Kerala. This proposal noted that Neelakurinji faces threats from unregulated tourism and infrastructure expansion.\n\nMoEFCC informed the tribunal that the conservation efforts would primarily be executed by the individual states within their annual plans of operation under the 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' centrally-sponsored scheme. It urged the tribunal to direct the states to implement these plans in collaboration with their respective State Biodiversity Boards. The MoEFCC emphasized its role as a facilitator and funding source, providing technical guidance and financial support to states and union territories for wildlife conservation and habitat management.\n\nFor instance, Keralam received ₹5.9 crore in the fiscal year 2025-26 and ₹9.09 crore in 2024-25 for its 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' project. The JNTBGRI suggested a comprehensive species-specific conservation action plan, incorporating life-cycle biology, habitat requirements, long-term ecological monitoring of populations, restoration of degraded grasslands, and strict regulations on tourism during the flowering season.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "MoEFCC requests NGT to compel states to submit Neelakurinji conservation plans.",
    "Neelakurinji blooms once every twelve years, endemic to Western Ghats.",
    "Conservation efforts to be executed by states under wildlife habitats scheme."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Ministry's push for annual conservation plans from states marks a shift towards more coordinated and enforceable protection for Neelakurinji, elevating state accountability in its preservation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}