NGT permits laying of roads to Bodamalai tribal hamlets
The Hindu
NAMAKKAL The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given permission to lay ghat roads for a length of 34
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given permission to lay ghat roads for a length of 34 km through the forest area to reach Bodamalai village, a hilltop in Rasipuram taluk in Vennandur Union, said Rajya Sabha MP K.R.N. Rajeshkumar, here on Friday.
Addressing the media, he said Keelur, Melur and Kedamalai hamlets were located in the hilltop where over 4,000 tribal people were living for many generations while over 2,000 of their relatives were living at the foothills. “Their only demand in all these years was road connectivity as they face difficulty in carrying pregnant women and patients in cloth cradle to reach the plains during emergencies,” he said. Also, school and college students found it difficult to continue their studies in plains, the MP said.
Since trees in forest areas had to be removed for laying the roads, permission had to be sought from the Tribunal. In 1995, the people submitted petitions seeking permission for the project to lay the roads. “The DMK, in its election manifesto, had promised road connectivity to Bodamalai after coming to power. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin appointed senior advocate P. Wilson as a special government pleader, who provided necessary details sought by the Tribunal,” he said and added that the NGT had accorded permission for laying roads in the forest area.
The MP said as per the guidelines of the Bench, 360 trees belonging to the Forest Department would be removed for which the government had settled ₹2.13 crore to the department. Road to Bodamalai through Keelur and Melur would be for 23.65 km while road from Pudupatti to Kedamalai would be for 11 k.m. “The projects will be executed by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department at ₹35 crore”, he said and added that tenders would be floated soon.
The hamlets are located about 1,200 metres from the plains and could be reached only after trekking about 8 km through the reserved forest.
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