CHENNAI: Seven months after the tragic Kurangani forest fire in Theni claimed the lives of 23 trekkers, the Environment and Forests Department issued a Government Order (GO) on the comprehensive Tamil Nadu Forests and Wildlife Areas (Regulation of Trekking) Rules, 2018.
Among several restrictions imposed, the new rules permit trekking only between 6 am and 5 pm and clamp a total ban for three months between February 15 and April 15. Express has the copy of the GO, which will shortly be published in the Tamil Nadu government gazette.
The new rules prohibit children below 10 years and pregnant women from trekking on all routes “easy, moderate and tough”, which are carefully categorised, based on multiple factors such terrain, flora and fauna.
Trekking should be undertaken only on a permitted linear route and trekker shall not perambulate in the forest.
While trekking on the permitted route, no diversion or distraction is allowed from the permitted linear trek. The minimum size of a trekking group is five persons and the maximum is 15, the GO reads.
No agency or organisation or club shall be permitted to facilitate or organise trekking unless they are registered with the Forest Department.
The trekking group will be required to fill an application declaring “the group is participating on their own risk and shall not hold the Forest department, the government of Tamil Nadu responsible for any mishap leading to injury or death during the trek”.
A senior Forest department official told Express that once the new rules were notified, no person could undertake trekking without obtaining permission from the competent authority - a district forest officer or a wildlife warden or a deputy director of the respective forest or wildlife area.
“The rules clearly lay down the procedure for obtaining trekking permission, fee structure for both Indians and foreigners, actions prohibited and penalties,” the official said.
To a query, the official said trekkers could stay overnight in the approved trekking sheds of the Forest department on payment of a sum or in any private halting place with the approval of the Forest department. “Overnight stay is prohibited in open forest under any circumstances,” he revealed.
Any illegal trek, which amounts to trespass, will be dealt with under Section 21 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882 or under Section 27 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which involves imprisonment of up to one month.
The new rules follow the submission of a report on Kurangani forest fire, submitted by the one-man inquiry commission headed by Atulya Misra IAS.