47 illegal resorts in STR? Forest dept told to respond

A vacation bench of Madras High Court on Thursday issued notice directing the Forest Department to file response by June 23 on a plea alleging that 47 resorts were functioning illegally inside Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Erode, in the Nilgiris biosphere.

Heading a vacation bench along with Justice Mohammed Shafiq, Justice MS Ramesh passed the direction on hearing the plea filed by Dr S Karpagam of Coimbatore, who prayed for a direction to the government to seal all the 47 resorts inside the tiger reserve stating that they posed a threat to the forest and wildlife.

“The resorts did not get any statutory approval from the National Board of Wildlife (NBW) as envisaged under Section 33 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The resorts do not get any clearance from the

Hill Areas Conservation Authority

(HACA),” submitted advocate SP Chockalingam, who appeared for the petitioner.

He added that as per the provision of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, all construction works to be carried out in all sanctuaries should get the approval of the Chief Wildlife Warden subject to prior approval from the National Board of Wild Life and HACA. However, these resorts did not get any such approval and, without complying with any of the laws and rules, have caused and are causing damage to the fragile forest and hill ecology in more than one way, the petitioner alleged.

“Unsafe Vdisposal of food and waste materials, stress to wildlife from intense focus lights and sound, impediment on the free movement of wildlife, increased vehicular movement in the forest and increased roadkill are the adverse effects due to these illegal resorts,” he said.