CHENNAI: The Chennai Trekking Club (CTC) has decided to take up the case of Tada hills and its pristine waters. The trekkers and nature enthusiasts of CTC will get together and trek the hills on November 1, with the mission - ‘Save Tada’.
Picking a cue from the Express report that the hills were slowly losing its sheen due to human intervention and also on the observations made by some of the club’s members, who have trekked the hills, the CTC has taken up the task of cleaning the hills of all debris.
Huge swathes of the forest have been cleared for the ongoing construction of a dam. Broken glass bottles litter jungles. Plastics in all shapes and forms are strewn everywhere. Through the Save Tada trek, the members of club plan to collect sacks full of garbage and bring it down.
“The CTC trek will focus on cleaning activities and through this act we try to bring in the attention of the concerned departments and officials to put in a system to keep check all activities happening here,” say Peter Van Geit, founder of the club.
It will also engage in talks with officials at the local level to ensure disposal of garbage collected and brought down from the hills. Though CTC being based in Chennai, it is making every effort to wake up the government authorities in Andhra Pradesh as the region falls under that State.
According to Peter the eco-tourism project has spoiled the place by converting it into a place for alcohol consumption. It has become unsafe for ladies, families and genuine trekkers. Trekkers with good intentions are being harassed. The vehicles of the visitors are broken into and personal valuables are looted.
The forest guards are placed at the entry point. Though some security people are appointed now and then, they seem to be more interested in fleecing victors. Clashes between drunken visitors are also common in this area. “Often police have to be called to help genuine visitors from the clutches of fleecing guards and anti-social elements, he points out.
The CTC also looks forward to associate with other like mind organisations to carry out the mission. He appealed to the public to sign up through peter.vangeit@gmail.com or http://groups.google.co.in/group/sachennaitrekkingclub/web/save-tada-nov-1-2009 to become part of the Save Tada mission.
The club has a membership of about 4000 people. “We expect a good number of members to join the trek. We also want general public, who care for the environment to join us in this mission,” he concludes.