COIMBATORE: Revenue officials, with help from two local bodies and police personnel, on Wednesday removed 30 illegall tents in the surroundings of Kotagiri.
The team led by Kotagiri Tahsildar C Gayathri along with the officials from Jakkanari Panchayat and Konavakkarai Panchayats removed the tents as the owners have illegally allowed tourists to stay in tents and earn money out of them.
The tents were built three months ago and the practice is going on since then. Out of 30 tents, 18 were in Adubettu, four near Catherine waterfall (both located in Jakkanari Panchayat) and eight tents in Kanuvatty coming under Konavakkarai Panchayat.
The action was based on the Nilgiris district collector SP Amrith's order following complaints from locals that people staying in the tents are entering the forest.
According to an official these tents were set up without the permission of local bodies in the patta land inside the tea fields. Around Rs 1000 to 2000 have been charged for a tent from the tourists and the tourists had to book online to stay here.
"The tents do not have any safety measures, especially to protect the visitors during natural disasters like floods. Also, the tents were set up very close to the forest. People should travel in a jeep or walk to reach the place," the official said. A fine was also imposed on the tent owners, he added.