TN forest department ups vigil in Velliangiri for Sivarathiri festival rush
COIMBATORE: As a large number of devotees have started arriving at Velliangiri to visit temple for Sivarathiri which falls on Saturday, the Coimbatore forest division officials have deployed more than 80 personnel in the area, including 30 staff exclusively to prevent them entering areas where wild elephants move.
According to sources, more than 36,000 devotees visited the temple till Wednesday since February 9 when the trekking was allowed by the Madras High Court. The numbers would increase in the next four days.
A senior forest official said, “We have identified Mullangakadu, Thaanikandi Valaivu, Thaneerpandal, Poondi Kovil, Iruttupallam, Madakkadu and Narasipuram as areas that are frequented by wild elephants. Thirty of our staff will be engaged to prevent human elephant negative interaction.”
The official said except women they are not restricting anybody from trekking the hills and that they have appointed four-member team each in the second, fourth and sixth hills to protect wildlife and the forest from fire.
“The staff will ensure fire prevention since the summer has commenced. Despite thorough checking at the foothills, there are chances of some devotee sneaking in cigarettes and match boxes into the hills. Hence there is a high chance for man-made fire and to prevent this staff have been appointed for round-the-clock surveillance. We are monitoring first and second hills to prevent human sloth bear conflict,” said the official.