Devotees visiting Velliangri Hills are unhappy with the Coimbatore forest division officials for collecting entrance fees of Rs 100. However, officials clarified that they collect money only from the interested devotees and not from everyone.
A devotee said this is the first time authorities collecting entrance fees. Members of Hindu Munnani condemned the initiative and urged the officials to stop collecting the amount. They also staged a protest at Iruttupallam on Sunday evening.
Sources said the staff appointed from Boluvampatti forest range have been collecting Rs 100 from interested devotees and asking them to click the picture of the receipt instead of handing over the receipt to them.
Boluvampatti forest range officer T Saravanan said, “The amount collected from the devotees is being deposited in the forest development agency account which will be used for providing salary to the eco-watchers appointed to check devotees and prevent them to take plastic and other banned things inside the forest. "The amount will also be used to buy food for the volunteers involved in clearing the plastic waste dumped by the devotees,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hindu Makkal Katchi urged the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department not to allow private players to clean the path to reach Velliangiri Temple situated on the top of Velliangiri Mountain.
The organisation said instead of appointing private players to clean the way and do maintenance activities, it should be given to tribal people in the locality so that they get income. Every year, from March to May, pilgrims are allowed to the Velliangiri Aandavar temple in Velliangiri Mountains. After reaching Poondi, foothills of Velliangiri Mountain, devotees have to climb the hills for over five kilometers.
D Senthilkumar, a state-level functionary of the organisation said, "Since it is the reserve forest, private players should not be allowed for maintenance. If they are allowed, they would commercialise and affect the environment."