CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras High Court that 42 illegal resorts operating in the eco-sensitive zone of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) have been locked and sealed after they were found to be functioning without valid permissions.
The submission was made by special government pleader (SGP) T Seenivasan, representing the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, before the first division bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan when a petition filed by Dr R Karpagam of Coimbatore came up for hearing recently.
The SGP told the court that the authorities concerned had conducted inspection in the STR areas and found 53 resorts/farmhouses located within the eco-sensitive zone; 11 of them have been operating with valid permission; and 42 without permission and that were locked and sealed.
Advocate S P Chokkalingam, appearing for the petitioner, stated that action has not been taken so far against certain other resorts and an affidavit, in this regard, was filed in the court.
The SGP said that steps have been taken for cracking the whip on the remaining resorts and a fresh report on the action taken against the illegal resorts would be placed in the court. The bench granted three weeks’ time to the respondent authorities to take further action against the remaining resorts and file the status report.
Meanwhile, the bench said that the appellate authority concerned shall consider the appeals of the resorts, which were closed, if they file appeals against the lock and seal.