COIMBATORE: Residents of Masinagudi, including cottage owners and tour operators stopped work and staged a hunger strike on Monday alleging that officials of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) did not allow vehicle safari. A week ago, MTR officials directed them not to operate vehicle safari at Singara and Moyar road even though the roads are in use for a long time.
PT Varghese, president of Masinagudi people livelihood rights association, said, “Depending upon the tourists flow to Masinagudi and nearby Theppakadu, a total of 260 jeeps are operated. There are close to 50 cottages in which five to ten staff are working in each facility, Moreover, large number of people are engaged in hotels and bakeries. If the tourists flow would be low, the entire chain would be affected.”
Despite the Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy stating that there would be no impact on the residents in Nilgiris due to the declaration of Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ), the protesters also opposed it.
“MTR officials continue to target us by making such anti people policies. They have not implemented eco tourism as promised in the last 15 years when Mudumalai National Park was declared as tiger reserve. The forest department should allow us to operate vehicles from 6am to 9pm in the buffer zone for commercial purposes. The officials can seize vehicles if we violate the timing,” he said.
D Venkatesh, field director of MTR, said that vehicle owners sought permission to operate vehicles after 6pm and vehicle operation for commercial purpose is banned not only in MTR, but also in reserve forests across the country during that time. “It is wrong that the department is not allowing them during the day time on Singara and Moyar road,” he added.