Madras HC hears plea to restrict human activity in Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court issued a notice to the State government regarding a public interest litigation seeking an order to restrict the entry of outsiders and vehicles inside the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district.
A division bench Justices SS Sundar and Bharatha Chakravarthy directed the State to file a counter affidavit to the petition filed by V Savithri of Tirunelveli in the Madurai branch of the High Court. She said that the entry of outsiders and vehicles should be restricted to protect the flora and fauna.

The petitioner said that Sorimuthu Ayyanar Temple is located in the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Reserve in the area between Papanasam and Karaiyar Dam in Nellai District and devotees visit this temple from Nellai and surrounding districts.

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However, she further said that during the festival, a large number of devotees were permitted to enter the reserve and stay at a camping site in violation of the rules. The public failed to follow the rules and the reasonable restrictions imposed and discarded waste along the Thamirabarani River due to which the pollution affected not only the indigenous people living there but also the flora and fauna.
The authorities should restrict the entry of outsiders which should not be beyond the carrying capacity notified in the Tiger Conservation Plan, she said.
Therefore, it was stated in the petition that only a certain number of devotees should be allowed into the temple.

—ANI