About
Munnar in the vernacular means the confluence of three rivers. The three rivers that flow
from different directions and conjoin in Munnar are Kanniar, Kundale aar and Nullatanni. It
is the tea town in the High Range, which is fast becoming another hill resort, unplanned,
congested and polluted. Encroachments, illegal constructions, high-rise buildings, unabated
tourists inflow, hotels on the banks of the Munnar river, multiplying cabs, jeeps and autos etc.
have become the order of the day. And the picturesque Munnar is losing its pristine glory.
Environmental experts fear that the damage is already done in Munnar and there is an
impending danger for this hill town going the way of Kodaikanal, Ooty, Shimla and other hill
stations in the country, which have seen the havoc created by uncontrolled tourism and its
attendant unplanned development, Environmentalists all over India feel that before it is too
late, action should be initiated.
Through its activities, the High Range Wildlife and Environment Preservation
Association has been conscientizing the tea estate employees, their families and the local
population in the need for nature conservation. It stretches its arms to embrace the tourists
too, like you, who visit Munnar and its surroundings with its messages of nature
conservation.
The idea is that even as you enjoy Mother Nature in the High Range, you can be eco-friendly
and eco-responsible in everything you see here and do here. So that, you go back with sweet
memories of having had a pleasant green experience without leaving behind you any scar on
the environment.
“Let it remain so……………”
“On my retirement from India after a personal connection with Eravikulam for nearly thirty years and a family
connection of over sixty, my deep and sincere request for all, who have authority over this area, is that it
may be allowed to remain inviolate forever. None, who has visited this haven, can deny that it is one of the
world’s most beautiful places. Please let it remain so. In this modern world, where in the name of progress and
optimum land use, the greed of man seeks to despoil all natural heritages. Cannot the tide of destruction be
diverted to flow round and leave unwasted still this small island of peace and tranquility? Let it be a haven
for the Nilgiri tahr, found nowhere else in the world but the mountains of South India, - the tiger and panther,
which through man’s greed are near extinction, and the mighty Gaur, whose very size brings out the lust in man for
personal gain. Let it remain, perhaps the only place in the vast sub-continent so far left unsullied – a place for
students of nature for research and the real lovers of nature to make the physical effort to explore its bounties
without the aid of motor roads and stinking, noisy vehicles.”
Late. J.C. Gouldsbury,
An ex-planter and an ardent environmentalist who was also the Chairman of HRWEPA from 1960 to 1976.
Additional Information
The High Range Wildlife and Environment Preservation Association has been instrumental in preserving the
natural heritage of the Munnar region. Over the years, the association has worked tirelessly to ensure that
the unique flora and fauna of the region are protected. The organization's efforts have led to several
conservation successes, including the revival of endangered species and the restoration of degraded habitats.
Current Chairman, HRWEPA