COIMBATORE: The Nilgiris district Collector M Aruna directed Superintendent of Police P Sundaravadivel to investigate if a helicopter flew over ecologically sensitive areas in the hills without permission.
According to sources, a helicopter landed at Korakundah estate on December 27 after allegedly flying over O -Valley and Mukurthinational park, Avalanche. Speaking to TNIE Aruna said “We did not give permission to any company to fly over Nilgiris.
We dont have information about the flight path of the helicopter, we only know that it flew from Coimbatore,” adding she had conveyed information about this to her Coimbatore counterpart Kranthi Kumar Pati and that he would take up the matter with Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Tamil Nadu Forest department is also investigating the issue since the helicopter allegedly flew over Mukurthi National Park, an ecologically sensitive area where Nilgiri Tahr is found in abundance. D Venkatesh Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) “The MTR Deputy Director and Nilgiris DFO are investigating the issue with aviation officials.”