Activists in Kodaikanal welcome steps to issue e-passes to vehicles entering the hill station
As the Dindigul district administration has begun work to issue e-passes to vehicles entering Kodaikanal, activists in the hill station are upbeat about the steps being taken, in pursuance of a recent order of the Madras High Court to save the fragile biosphere.
According to the details shared by Kodaikanal Municipality, a total of 2,091 vehicles entered the town on April 19, the day of polling. The next day, the number rose to 2,377 and on April 21, it dipped to 1,610.
After the court order, the number of vehicles visibly reduced this weekend, says Kodaikanal Municipal Commissioner P. Sathiyanathan.
He hopes that issuance of e-passes would help the municipality know the type of vehicles entering the hills, the number of people, and the places where they would stay, among others. “These details are necessary for tra£c and waste management.”
With the hill station witnessing high temperatures and forest res, residents fear a looming water crisis. They hope that the move to issue e-passes would help conserve water.
“We are not getting regular water supply, and given the temperature rise, we may see massive water scarcity,” a resident from Naidupuram said.
An o£cial admits that the hill station may face water shortage and, hence, supply was being maintained on alternate days to avert such a situation. “Epasses would also help the municipality ration the water supply for hotels, thereby conserving water,” he said.
Activist Veerabadhran points out that e-passes are a must to check the carrying capacity of the road up the hill. They will help policy-makers plan additional infrastructure for the hill station, he added.
Drop in bookings
However, Ajayan, a resort owner, said that after the court order, bookings in many hotels dropped. Epasses should be made applicable only on weekends, he said.
Ranjit who runs a hotel on Lake Road said it was only during the tourist season that he could make money and issuing e-passes would aect his income.