CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said two trekking teams to Kurangani took an unapproved route and the forest fire spread quickly due to the presence of lemongrass having oil content.While the first team of 12 people from Erode and Tirupur took an entry pass only for March 10, they stayed in the forest without permission the next day also. The second team from Chennai entered without any permission.
Replying to the issue in the Assembly during zero hour, the CM said of the 36 trekkers, 17 died of injuries. The bereaved families were granted a solatium of Rs 4 lakh each. The injured were also given financial assistance. A committee headed by senior IAS officer Atulya Misra, appointed to inquire into the tragedy, would submit report in two months.
Palaniswami said the 12-member group from Erode and Tirupur took an entry pass from Eco Development Committee at Kurangani by paying `200 each. Instead of taking the approved route, they took an unapproved route and reached a private tea estate in Kozhukkumalai.
“The team stayed at Kozhukkumalai estate on the night of March 10. Significantly, the team got an entry pass only for a day and it expired on the same day. Further, trekking teams are not allowed to stay the night. But the team, without any valid pass, moved to Kurangani from Kozhukkumalai via Kottakkudi reserve forest area on March 11.
Another 27-member team from Chennai without permission from Forest Department, passed through the unapproved route and stayed at Kozhukkumalai estate. This estate has no licence for allowing people to stay.
While three of the 27 left for Kerala, 24 people continued their trekking via the unapproved route on March 11 and unexpectedly both teams were caught in the fire,” the CM said.
Palaniswami said there was no fire on March 10. The last forest fire was reported on February 15, as per a report from the Forest Survey of India, and it was doused by foresters. There were no further fire alerts from the Forest Survey of India.
The field workers of the Forest Department noticed the fire around 2.30 pm on March 11. When they reached the spot around 5 pm, they came to know that the trekking teams were caught in forest fire. He also recalled the quick rescue operations and his own visit.