Senna spectabilis overgrowth in Wayanad sanctuary

During our Pongal visit to Wayanad sanctuary, we went for a safari, entering from the Muthanga gate, only to find growth of this invasive species, which the forest department is struggling to deal with.

On our return, I was trying to determine the species - it seemed like a Cassia.  It seems to be Senna spectabilis.

The, rather serendipitously, I saw this article:

Showing the world they care - The Hindu: 

Sanjari, a collective of youths in the State, has set a model for similar organisations in the State by undertaking an eco-restoration drive inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
The two-day programme, which concluded on Monday, was organised with the support of the Forest Department and Wildlife Conservation Society, India, in the Tholpetty range of forest under the sanctuary.
The wild growth of invasive alien plants such as Hypoestes phyllostachya and Maesopsis eminii is posing a threat to wildlife and indigenous plants in the sanctuary, which already faces threats from invasive plants such as Senna spectabilis, Mikania micrantha , Lantana, and Eupatorium.
According to sanctuary sources, the spread of Senna spectabilis is more dangerous than other exotic species owing to its quick growth.
A recent survey of the Wildlife Trust of India shows that the plant is widely distributed in the Muthanga, Tholpetty and Sulthan Bathery range of forests under the sanctuary. Moreover, the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has identified 22 invasive alien plants inside the sanctuary.
Though the KFRI has found effective measures to eradicate the alien species, the department is yet to execute the measures effectively owing to dearth of fund. However, as many as 56 youths from across the State took part in the drive and they uprooted as many as 4,158 Senna spectabilis and hundreds of other alien plants inside the sanctuary.
More such drives“We are planning to launch a similar drive in the Muthanga, Sulthan Bathery and Kurichyad range of forests under the sanctuary in the coming days,” Arul Badusha, who coordinated the programme, said.
The youths also removed plastic wastes disposed by travellers on both sides of the Kattikulam-Tholpetty stretch of the Madikeri-Mananthavadi Interstate Highway passing through the sanctuary.
They also sensitised travellers by distributing pamphlets to them to the impacts of discarding plastic wastes in the sanctuary and the significance of conserving the wildlife habitat.
The sanctuary officials organised a trekking inside the forest and a class on ecology for the youths.

Hopefully, the invader does not destroy the local species of the sanctuary that supports so much wildlife, including tuskers, one of which we saw.