Concerns raised over commercial trekking in protected areas in Coimbatore district

Tamil Nadu Forest Department to organize commercial trekking in Coimbatore district, raising concerns about wildlife disturbance and pollution.

While the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the Tamil Nadu Wilderness Experiences Corporation are all set to organise trekking along seven routes through the forests in Coimbatore district, nature enthusiasts and biologists feel the commercial activity could cause potential disturbance to the wildlife in protected areas.

Manambolly, Top Slip – Pandaravarai and Aliyar (canal bank) in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Vellingiri hills, Chadivayal – Siruvani, Sembukarai – Perumalmudi and Burliar in the Coimbatore Forest Division are the seven paid routes that will be opened to trekkers, out of the 40 trails across Tamil Nadu.

Chennai-based activist S. Muralidharan wanted the Forest Department to do a rethink on allowing commercial trekking in biodiversity-rich protected areas such as the Vellingiri hills, Top Slip – Pandaravarai, Chadivayal – Siruvani and Sembukarai – Perumalmudi. Vellingiri hills witnesses heavy pollution caused by pilgrims every year. Commercial trekking may cause significant disturbance to the wildlife, pollution and habitat degradation, he said.

A nature enthusiast from Coimbatore pointed out the irony in Forest Department allowing commercial trekking in the Vellingiri hills while it had opposed a plea in the Madras High Court, which sought to allow pilgrims to Vellingiri hills for four months every year. The Department had argued that as per the Boluvampatti block II reserve forest notification on public right of way, pilgrims were allowed in March and April. Closing the petition, the High Court ordered in February this year to permit pilgrims for four months from February to May every year.

Pilgrims were being allowed to trek Perumalmudi only on Saturdays in the Tamil month of Purattasi earlier. Now human activity in the protected area would increase, he added.

“These trekking routes are elephant areas and trekking in these ecologically sensitive areas should not be treated as an adventurous activity. Participants should be given the right orientation before the trekking. Most importantly, trekkers should follow the discipline that has to be followed in forests as they are entering the habitat of wild animals,” said K. Kalidasan of ‘Osai’ environmental organisation, who is also a member of the State Board for Wildlife.

A Coimbatore-based biologist, who did not want to be named, said that one of the prime objectives of trekking in protected areas should be nature education.