The Madras High Court recently delivered a crucial order, demanding immediate and appropriate action against all unauthorized resorts and tourist accommodations operating within the designated prohibited zone of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in Erode district. The court has given the district administration and Forest Department officials a four-week deadline to submit a comprehensive action-taken report.
This stringent order stems from a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by R. Karpagam, a 57-year-old environmental activist from Coimbatore. Her petition meticulously detailed the presence of 47 illegal resorts and tourist lodges allegedly functioning unlawfully within the STR boundaries.
SP. Chockalingam, counsel for the petitioner, argued forcefully that these 47 establishments were illegal on two primary grounds. Firstly, he asserted that they lacked the mandatory statutory approval from the National Board of Wildlife (NBW), a requirement under Section 33 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. This approval is critical for any development within such sensitive ecological zones.
Secondly, the counsel highlighted that these resorts and lodges also failed to obtain the necessary clearance from the Tamil Nadu Hills Area Conservation Authority (HACA). He further informed the court that his client had diligently gathered evidence of these alleged illegalities through applications filed under the Right to Information Act of 2005.
In her affidavit, the petitioner underscored the severe environmental impact of these illicit operations. She stated that the proliferation of illegal resorts significantly amplifies anthropogenic pressure on the delicate forest ecosystem, thereby imposing immense stress on the diverse wildlife inhabiting the reserve.
“For our invaluable forests and hills to endure, these illegal resorts must be dismantled. The implicit support from various authorities is inadvertently fueling the rapid growth of such unauthorized establishments. If this unchecked illegality continues, we stand to lose our unspoiled forests and their magnificent wildlife in the near future,” the affidavit warned, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The PIL named several key authorities and entities as respondents, including the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the National Board of Wildlife (NBW), the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden, the Field Director of STR, the HACA, the Erode Collector, and the various private resorts and lodges implicated.
Responding to the court, State Government Pleader A. Edwin Prabakar informed the bench that the Erode Collector had already initiated steps, including the denotification of some unauthorized huts functioning as resorts and the issuance of notices to other non-compliant establishments.