While the government is seeking world heritage status for the Edakkal Caves on the Ambukuthy hills in Wayanad district, famous for its Neolithic petroglyphs, illegal granite quarrying and fast urbanisation in the vicinity of the caves are posing a serious threat to the rock engravings.

The government had banned all types of construction activities on the premises of the caves to conserve the rock engravings a few years ago. But, construction work for shopping complexes, on both sides of the road to the caves, and illegal quarrying by using explosives have been going on without constraint. The impact of the activities is posing a serious threat to the rock shelters.