Nagercoil: The Conservation of Nature Trust here has urged the Government to take measures to protect the forest wealth.

At a function held here recently, its chairman Lal Mohan said the ecology of Kanyakumari district was being destroyed systematically in the name of earning revenue. The coastal areas were also under pressure owing to illegal seashore sand mining.

Rocks were blasted using powerful explosives. The resultant rock dust was causing pollution in the areas near the rubble crushing units.

Forest Ranger Sobitha Raj, who was the chief guest, said the monoculture of rubber plantation had destroyed the pristine natural forests. Soil erosion increased manifold and the rainfall came down drastically in the last fifty years.

Besides, 10,000 acres of forest area had been encroached upon in the district. Forest department officials could not evict the encroachers owing to political interference.

Thousands of cattle were allowed inside the reserved forest for grazing. Besides destroying the plants, the cattle spread foot-and- mouth disease to wild animals. Only creating an awareness of preserving it could save the forest wealth, he said.