MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the state environment and forest department and Tenkasi district authorities to consider a petition filed by Ambasamudram MLA E Subaya seeking not to impose any time restrictions for visiting and bathing in Old Courtallam Falls in Tenkasi.
A bench comprising justices J Nisha Banu and S Srimathy passed the order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by the MLA. The MLA stated in his petition that the Old Courtallam Falls has both spiritual and medicinal values and is one of the most admired tourist spots in the South. Many people living in and around Courtallam earned their livelihood by putting up shops near the falls, he added.
While there has been no time restriction for taking bath in the said falls since time immemorial, the Tenkasi collector started imposing 'oral' time restrictions for the entry of vehicles from September 2024 onwards. This has inconvenienced both the tourists and locals who wish to access the falls, the MLA claimed.
Though the village panchayat president and several other villagers had repeatedly petitioned the collector not to impose any time restrictions, no action had been taken on their requests, he added and sought the above direction.